WO2005059701A2

WO2005059701A2 - Text/price cassette

Info

Publication number: WO2005059701A2
Application number: PCT/US2004/041972
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulrich Schaefer
Original assignee: Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
Priority date: 2003-12-15
Filing date: 2004-12-14
Publication date: 2005-06-30
Also published as: WO2005059701A3; DE10358714A1; TW200532601A; TWI251792B

Abstract

The invention is directed to a text/price cassette with a base plate (10) from whose front side project two longitudinal bars (12, 14) having guide grooves (13, 15) formed therein, which receive slidably therein a rectangular and partly transparent slider (40) with a transparent panel (42) having on its rear side one viewing compartment (45) bounded by transverse bars for the exchangeable accommodation of text/price tags. The slider being designed to be inserted and withdrawn from one transverse side of the base plate (10). The slider (40, 60) is equipped with tongues (46, 48) on its longitudinal sides in the extension of the transparent panel (42) and on just part of its thickness. The guide grooves (13, 15) in the longitudinal bars (12, 14) are arranged at a distance (A) to the front side of the base plate (10) and are constructed such that the slider (40) makes contact with the base plate (10) only with its tongues (46, 48) in the guide grooves (13, 15).

Description

TEXT/PRICE CASSETTE

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a text/price cassette with a base plate from whose front side project two longitudinal bars having guide grooves formed therein, which receive slidably therein a rectangular and at least partly transparent slider with a transparent panel having on its rear side at least one viewing compartment bounded by transverse bars for the exchangeable accommodation of text/price tags, said slider being designed to be inserted and withdrawn from at least one transverse side of the base plate.

A text/price cassette of this type is known from EP 0 452 296 B1. On this known cassette the guide grooves are rectangular in cross section. The width of the guide grooves is dimensioned such as to enable them to slidably receive the slider in its full thickness. The longitudinal bars each have on their side opposite the front side of the base plate a short groove leg for guiding the slider. The slider is thus guided in the area of its front side with the transparent panel by two short groove legs, whereas in the area of its rear side it is guided by the transverse bars projecting from the rear side and resting against the front side of the base plate. In the area of its lower edge the slider is guided at the bottom of the guide groove of the lower longitudinal bar. With the slider in fully inserted position in the base plate, the slider is well guided, as it is in contact with the base plate in all the previously mentioned areas of guidance. When the slider is only partly inserted, guidance is provided to the front but guidance to the rear works only because the slider of the known cassette is a slider for fanfolds, which is divided between each fanfold by a transverse bar with which it is guided. On sliders which are not constructed to admit fanfolds, i.e., sliders that are ^' intended only for a text insert and which therefore mostly have transverse bars only on the transverse sides of the slider, guidance is unsatisfactory by contrast. This is also evident when the slider is actuated. As the guide faces of the slider and the base plate are in a geometrically unfavorable relationship to each other, manufacturing tolerances easily lead to poor running or wobbling of the slider. Another disadvantage evident on the known cassette is that the slider can be inserted into the base plate from only one side. If a fanfold or a text/price tag has to be replaced at the end opposite the inserting end, the entire slider must always be withdrawn.

From DE 43 26 172 A1 there is known a price cassette with a bottom part that has compartments separated by vertical bars for the exchangeable accommodation of product identification and/or price tags, with guides on the bottom part extending in parallel with the bars such that an at least partially transparent top part can be pushed on and off in upward and/or downward direction. On this known price cassette the guidance of the top part is not changed to disadvantage when the top part is pushed upward or downward, but this is only so when the viewing compartments are arranged in the bottom part. In most cases, however, it is more practical to equip the slider itself with the viewing compartments. In this case, all it takes to exchange text/price tags is to replace an existing slider with a slider that has already been equipped with new tags. This should be possible at least from the one or other transverse side of the bottom part or the base plate, as such price cassettes are conventionally equipped above and/or below with clip-on attachments, fanfolds or the like. Also it is customary to connect a single cassette above and/or below to a double cassette.

It is an object of the present invention to significantly improve in simple manner the guidance of the slider on a text/price cassette of the type initially referred to, thereby making it easier to insert and replace text/price tags.

This object is accomplished with a text/price cassette of the type initially referred to by the features indicated in claim 1.

On the cassette of the invention the slider makes contact with the base plate only with its tongues in the guide grooves, namely thanks to a tongue-and-groove guide providing for accurate guidance of the slider in all directions. To this end, the guide grooves are arranged in the longitudinal bars at a distance to the front side of the base plate, such that the entire arrangement of transverse bars, which is constructed on the rear side of the slider, makes no contact whatsoever with the base plate and therefore is not involved in the guidance of the slider. Hence regardless of how far the slider is withdrawn from or inserted into the base plate, it invariably has the same tongue-and-groove guidance, which is completely independent of the construction of one or more viewing compartments on the rear side of the slider. The tongue-and-groove guide is effective in every position of the slider, both when the cassette is closed and while it is being opened. As the result of the full-length tongue-and-groove guidance the slider can be constructed both as a fanfold version and for a single text/price tag, without any restriction of the guidance characteristics. Guidance of the slider is improved further on the cassette of the invention in that the slider is equipped with tongues on its longitudinal sides in the extension of the transparent panel on just part of its thickness, in other words, in that the tongues are constructed thinner, preferably thinner by half, than the thickness of the transparent panel. Hence the slider is guided accurately and as such with low friction by means of the small tongue in a correspondingly small guide groove. The fact that the slider can be inserted and withdrawn from both transverse sides of the base plate means that the processes of inserting and replacing text/price tags are facilitated. Furthermore, manufacturing tolerances are easier to compensate because guidance on the cassette of the invention depends on only the groove and the tongue, which are in relative engagement.

Advantageous embodiments of the text/price cassette according to the invention form the subject-matters of the subclaims.

If, in an embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, the tongues extend in their thickness from the rear side of the transparent panel over half the thickness of the transparent panel, then the cassette has pronounced grooves and tongues ensuring accurate guidance of the slider in all directions.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, the tongues and guide grooves are semi-circular in cross section, then a particularly accurate and trouble-free guidance of the slider in all directions is guaranteed.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, each longitudinal bar on the side of the guide groove facing away from the base plate is equipped with a wall protruding beyond the guide groove, in the region of which the slider is cut out, then the guidance of the slider in the base plate can be concealed in simple manner from the observer's view.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, at least one land projects from the rear side of the transparent panel on a level with one of the tongues and bounds the viewing compartment in downward direction, then this limiting land is concealed to the front by the tongue of the slider. Conveniently, the limiting land is integrally formed on the rear side of the slider on half a level with the region in which the slider is cut out.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, two recesses are constructed on the rear side of the slider in each of its transverse bars, and studs that are complementary to the recesses are constructed on the front side of the base plate on its transverse sides, then the slider can be snap-locked with the base plate in easily releasable manner on closing the price cassette.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, a pair of diametrically opposed recesses is comprised of circumferential I y enclosed depressions and another pair of diametrically opposed recesses is comprised of slots open at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slider, then the sliding movement of the slider is not impeded by the studs, regardless of whether the slider is inserted into the base plate normally or on its head.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, further transverse bars, which are provided in addition on the rear side of the transparent panel between the transverse bars located on the transverse sides of the slider, each include two recesses, both of which are comprised of slots open at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slider, then the free slidability of the slider is not impeded even when it is equipped not only with transverse bars on the transverse sides but also with further transverse bars between the transverse sides.

If, in another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, the guide grooves and the tongues extend substantially over the length of the base plate, then a reliable guidance of the slider is assured over the entire length of the cassette.

If, in yet another embodiment of the cassette according to the invention, each of the tongues ends a short distance in front of the transverse sides of the slider, the process of inserting the slider into the guide grooves is facilitated.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a base plate of the text/price cassette of the invention, showing in

FIG. 1a a plan view of the base plate;

FIG. 1b a side view of the base plate;

FIG. 1 c a rear view of the base plate;

FIG. 1d a sectional view of the base plate, taken along the line 1d-1d of Fig. 1a;

FIG. 1 e a perspective front view of the base plate; and

FIG. 1f a perspective rear view of the base plate;

FIG. 2 is a first embodiment of a slider of the text/price cassette of the invention, showing in FIG. 2a a plan view of the slider;

FIG. 2b is a sectional view of the slider, taken along the line 2b - 2b of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 2c a rear view of the slider;

FIG. 2d a sectional view of the slider, taken along the line 2d - 2d of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 2e a perspective front view of the slider;

FIG. 2f a perspective rear view of the slider; and

FIG. 2g a sectional view, similar to FIGS. 1b and 2b, of the base plate with the slider inserted therein; and

FIG. 3 is a second embodiment of the slider of the text/price cassette of the invention, showing in

FIG. 3a a plan view of the slider;

FIG. 3b a sectional view of the slider, taken along the line 3b - 3b of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3c a sectional view of the slider, taken along the line 3c - 3c of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3d a rear view of the slider;

FIG. 3e a sectional view of the slider, taken along the line 3e - 3e of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3f a perspective front view of the slider;

FIG. 3g a perspective rear view of the slider;

FIG. 4a a plan view of the base plate of the second embodiment; and FIG. 4b a perspective rear view of the base plate of the second embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows, in several views in accordance with FIGS. 1a to 1f, an embodiment of a base plate, generally designated as 10, of a text/price cassette according to the invention, namely in a plan view, in a side view from the left, in a rear view, in a longitudinal sectional view, in a perspective front view and in a perspective rear view. The base plate 10 has two longitudinal bars protruding from its front side V, namely an upper longitudinal bar generally designated as 12, and a lower longitudinal bar generally designated as 14. The lower longitudinal bar 14 is shown in addition in FIG. 1b as a scaled-up detail. Formed in the longitudinal bars 12,

14 are guide grooves 13 and 15, respectively, in which a rectangular and at least partially transparent slider 40 or 60 of the type described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, is slidable. The guide grooves 13,

15 are arranged in the longitudinal bars 12 and 14, respectively, at a distance A to the front side V of the base plate 10. The guide grooves 13, 15 are each semi-circular in cross section, as becomes readily apparent from the scaled-up detail of FIG. 1b. Each longitudinal bar 12, 14 is equipped on the side of the guide groove 13 and 15, respectively, facing away from the base plate 10 with a wall 16 and 18, respectively, that protrudes beyond the guide groove. Like the longitudinal bars 12, 14, the guide grooves 13, 15 extend over the length of the base plate 10. The guide grooves 13, 15 are each open at their ends, thus enabling the slider 40 or 60 to be inserted and withdrawn from both transverse sides of the base plate 10. The base plate 10 is equipped on its rear with retaining rib pairs 20, 22 and 24. Adapted for insertion into each retaining rib pair is a latch that is provided in a larger plate on which the base plate 10 can be fastened, or on an end of a clip-on attachment or on the ends of a connecting member through which the base plate 10 is connectible to the base plate of another bigger or smaller text/price cassette. The previously mentioned type of connection of the retaining ribs with a latch is known from DE 93 00 474 U1 , to which reference is made with regard to details. The base plate is a plastic injection molded part made of ABS, which is an acronym for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymers. The base plate 10 is equipped on its front side V with a pair of diametrically opposed studs 26, 28, whose purpose and mode of operation will be described in more detail in conjunction with the description of the slider 40.

The scaled-up representation of the detail of FIG. 1b shows best that a transverse leg 17 of the longitudinal bar 14 does not extend up to the opposite protruding wall 18 but only in the region of the spacing A which is adjoined by the guide groove 15 recessed in the transverse leg 17. The upper longitudinal bar 12 is similarly constructed. Accordingly, the guide groove, which in the state of the art initially referred to extends between the front side of the base plate and the inner side of the protruding wall, extends on the cassette of the invention only over a fraction of the free width within the longitudinal bar.

FIG. 2 shows the slider 40 as a first embodiment of a slider matching the base plate 10 of FIG. 1, which slider is shown in FIGS. 2a to 2f in various views, namely in a plan view, in a sectional view taken along the line 2b - 2b of FIG. 2a, in a rear view, in a sectional view taken along the line 2d - 2d of FIG. 2a, in a perspective front view and, respectively, in a perspective rear view. Like the base plate 10, the slider 40 is a plastic injection molded part, but instead of being made of ABS it is comprised of a clear plastic such as SAN, which is an acronym for thermoplastic styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers. The slider 40 is rectangular and at least partially transparent. In the present case the slider is made entirely of clear material. The slider 40 is comprised essentially of a transparent panel 42 having on its rear side R a viewing compartment 45 for the exchangeable accommodation of text/price tags (not shown), which is bounded by two transverse bars 43, 44. The slider 40 is equipped with tongues 46, 48 on its longitudinal sides in the extension of the transparent panel 42 and only on part of the thickness of the transparent panel 42. The tongues 46, 48 are semi-circular in cross section like the guide grooves 13, 15 in which they are slidably received, yet essentially without clearance. The scaled-up detail illustrated in addition in FIG. 2b clearly shows that the tongue 48 extends in its thickness from the rear side R of the transparent panel 42 over half the thickness D of the transparent panel 42. The tongue 46 is similarly constructed. The transparent panel 42 is recessed accordingly on the front side in the region in which the longitudinal bars 12, 14 are provided on the side of the guide groove 13 and 15, respectively, facing away from the base plate with a wall protruding beyond the guide groove, as becomes readily apparent from the scaled-up detail of FIG. 2b. The viewing compartment 45 is bounded in downward direction by a land 49 projecting from the rear side R of the transparent panel 42 on a level with the tongue 48.

The guide grooves 13, 15 in the longitudinal bars 12, 14 of the base plate 10 and the slider 40 are constructed and dimensioned such that^' the slider 40 makes contact with the base plate only with its tongues 46, 48 in the guide grooves 13 and 15, respectively. Furthermore, the slider 4O is constructed like the base plate 10 such as to be suitable for insertion and withdrawal from both transverse sides of the base plate 10.

Formed on the rear side R of the slider 40 in its transverse bars 43, 44 are two recesses 50, 52 whose shape and arrangement are complementary to those of the studs 26, 28 provided on the front side V of the base plate 40 on its transverse sides. The recesses 50, 52 are in a diametrically opposed arrangement and are comprised of circumferentially enclosed depressions. Another pair of diametrically opposed recesses 54, 56 is comprised of slots that are open at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slider '40. When the cassette is closed, the studs 26, 28 are snap-locked within the recesses 50 and 52, respectively, resulting of course in the region of these two connections in mutual contact between the slider 40 and the base plate 10 in addition to the mutual contact between the tongues 46, 48 and the guide grooves 13 and 15, respectively. The slider 40 is constructed to be elastic, hence pressure needs to be applied to the slider 40 only in the longitudinal direction in order to readily establish the snap-fit connection between the studs and the recesses. The free width between the transverse bars 43, 44 and the rear side R of the transparent panel 42 is dimensioned such that a text slider of FIG. 2b can be inserted from above into the viewing compartment 45 until it sits on the land 49 bounding the viewing compartment in downward direction.

FIG. 2g shows additionally, in a sectional representation similar to FIGS. 1b and 2b, the base plate 10 with the slider 40 inserted therein.

In FIG. 3, the slider generally designated as 60 represents a second embodiment that differs from the first embodiment (slider 40) solely in that between the transverse bars 43, 44 provided on the transverse sides of the slider added provision is made on the rear side R of the transparent panel 42 for another transverse bar 47 that has two recesses 58, 59, both comprised of slots open at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slider 60, as becomes readily apparent from FIGS. 3d and 3g. Arranged between the transverse bars 44 and 47 is a longitudinal bar 62 that divides in half the viewing compartment formed between the two transverse bars. Hence it is possible to insert into the slider 60 of FIG. 3 one large and one small text/price tag from above into their respective viewing compartments and, in addition, one small text/price tag from below into its respective viewing compartment.

The tongues 46, 48 extend substantially over the length of the base plate 10. The tongues 46, 48 each end a short distance in front of the transverse sides of the slider 40; 60 in order to make it easier to insert said slider into the guide grooves 13, 15.

Fig. 4a is a plan view of the corresponding base plate 10' for the second embodiment and Fig. 4b is a perspective rear view of the base plate 10'. It should be understood that the reference characters 12', 13', 14', 15', 20', 22', 24', 26' and 28' respectively correspond to the unprimed reference characters 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 but are sized to fit with the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A text/price cassette with a base plate from whose front side project two longitudinal bars having guide grooves formed therein, which receive slidably therein a rectangular and at least partly transparent slider with a transparent panel having on its rear side at least one viewing compartment bounded by transverse bars for the exchangeable accommodation of text/price tags, said slider being designed to be inserted and withdrawn from at least one transverse side of the base plate, characterized in that the slider (40; 60) is equipped with tongues (46, 48) on its longitudinal sides in the extension of the transparent panel (42) and on just part of its thickness (D), that the guide grooves (13, 15) in the longitudinal bars (12, 14) are arranged at a distance (A) to the front side (V) of the base plate (10) and are constructed such that the slider (40; 60) makes contact with the base plate

(10) only with its tongues (46, 48) in the guide grooves (13 A 5), and that the base plate (10) and the slider (40; 60) are constructed in such manner as to enable the slider (40; 60) to be inserted and withdrawn from both transverse sides of the base plate (10).

2. The cassette as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the tongues (46, 48) extend in their thickness from the rear side (R) of the transparent panel (42) over half the thickness (D) of the transparent panel (42).

3. The cassette as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tongues (46, 48) and guide grooves (13, 15) are serni-circular in cross section.

4. The cassette as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each longitudinal bar (12, 14) on the side of the guide groove (13, 15) facing away from the base plate (10) is equipped with a wail (16, 18) protruding beyond the guide groove (13, 15), in the region of which the slider (40; 60) is recessed.

5. The cassette as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by at least one land (49) that projects from the rear side (R) of the transparent panel (42) on a level with one (48) of the tongues and bounds the viewing compartment (45) in downward direction.

6. The cassette as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that two recesses (50, 52) are constructed on the rear side (R) of the slider (40; 60) in each of its transverse bars (43, 44), and studs (26, 28) that are complementary to the recesses (50, 52) are constructed on the front side (V) of the base plate (10) on its transverse sides.

7. The cassette as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that a pair of diametrically opposed recesses (50, 52) is comprised of circumferentially enclosed depressions, and another pair of diametrically opposed recesses (54, 56) is comprised of slots open at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slider (40; 60).

8. The cassette as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that further transverse bars (47), which are provided in addition on the rear side (R) of the transparent panel (42) between the transverse bars (43, 44) located on the transverse sides of the slider (60), each include two recesses (58, 59), both of which are comprised of slots open at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the slider (60).

9. The cassette as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide grooves (13, 15) and the tongues (46, 48) extend substantially over the length of the base plate (10).

10. The cassette as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the tongues (46, 48) each end a short distance in front of the transverse sides of the slider (40; 60).