GB2096377A

GB2096377A - Price display unit

Info

Publication number: GB2096377A
Application number: GB8136801A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PRINT PERMANISING 1960 Ltd
Current assignee: PRINT PERMANISING 1960 Ltd
Priority date: 1981-02-19
Filing date: 1981-12-07
Publication date: 1982-10-13
Also published as: GB2096377B

Abstract

The unit comprises an elongate grooved frame (1) and an elongate transparent insert (2) which includes a number of compartments (8) extending transverse of the insert with stops (7) at at least one of their ends. The insert (2) fits into the grooved frame (1) with the at least one ends of the compartments adjacent an open side (5) of the grooved frame. Tags (4) which carry indicia fit into the compartments of the insert (2) and the insert marshalls the tags so that the indicia on tags in adjacent compartments are aligned with one another. The stops (7) on each compartment prevent the tags in the compartments being dislodged when the insert (2) is in position in the grooved frame (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Price display unit This invention relates to price display units which are associated with goods to be sold and which indicate the price of those goods to a shopper considering purchase of the goods. It is desirable to be able to vary the price in such display units and it is particularly true where the goods being sold vary in price from day to day.

Equally, it is desirable to be able to use a particular price display unit for different goods and therefore it is desirable for the information displayed by the price display unit to be varied to show as wide a range as possible. With most variable price, price display units that are currently available the elements of the display unit which contain the indicia from which the price is made up tend to slide relative to one another so that the individual figures making up the price are not aligned with one another. This is aesthetically unappealing and can be confusing when the indicia overlap.

According to this invention a price display unit comprises an elongate grooved frame, an elongate transparent insert which includes a number of compartments extending transverse of the insert with stops at at least one of their ends, the insert fitting into the grooved frame with the at least one ends of the compartments of the insert adjacent an open side of the grooved frame, and tags which carry indicia and which fit into the compartments of the insert, the insert marshalling the tags so that the indicia on tags in adjacent compartments are aligned with one another and the stops on each compartment preventing the tags in the compartments being dislodged when the insert is in position in the grooved frame.

It is particularly preferred that each of the compartments of the inserts holds a set of tags with, for example, each tag having indicia on both its faces so that the set of tags in each compartment is capable of displaying at least the numerals 0 to 9. Additionally, the indicia in each set may include such items as "" ".", "per", units of measurement such as "kg", "lb", and at least one blank tag. As an alternative to this additional sets of tags may be included and, in this case, the additional sets of tags only contain this additional information and do not contain the numerals 0 to 9. When the price display unit is arranged in this way, it is completely self-contained and no separate library of tags is required.Consequently, each individual price dispaly unit is capable of displaying a wide range of price information and the price information can be changed readily by an operator simply manipulating the arrangement of the tags held in each individual price display unit.

The individual sets of tags in each compartment may be a loose set but preferably the tags in each set are connected together by a ring or a ring binding.

Preferably compartments are formed along the entire length of the insert and, in this case, a great flexibility in layout can be provided by each price display unit. Typically, there are eight separate compartments along the insert but, only rarely will it be necessary to display tags carrying indicia in all eight compartments. Typically it is only necessary to display indicia from three or four adjacent compartments and, in this case, the same price display unit can be used to display these three sets of indicia at one end, at the centre, or at its other end. In this way, similar price display units can be used by a number of individual stores or chains of stores but the appearance and layout of the price display units can be made different and can accommodate the particular design layout adopted by the individual stores or chains of stores.

The price display unit in accordance with the invention may also be used in a variety of different ways. As an example of this the insert may be inserted into the frame with the back of the insert towards the front of the frame. In this way, the back of the insert, which is transparent, provides glazing for the display unit and the tags are then visible through this transparent back of the insert.

With the display unit arranged in this way, the back of the insert provides a smooth continuous glazed surface covering the individual tags. The transparent back surface of the insert may be overprinted with information, for example the name of the store orthe chain of stores and or with information such as a description of the goods to be sold. Naturally, at least a portion of the back surface of the insert is not printed to leave a clear transparent window through which the tags can be viewed. Again, the position and size of the window can be varied depending upon how many compartments and hence how many indicia need to be displayed.

A further way of using the display unit in accordance with this invention is by placing the insert with the back of the insert adjacent the back of the frame and, in this case, an additional overlay is provided which fits between the front of the frame and the front of the insert. This overlay may itself be transparent and be overprinted with information concerning the name of the store or the chain of stores and/or with a description of the goods to be sold. Again, in this case, a window of the required size is left to expose the required number of indicia. Alternatively, the overlay may be opaque and may include a cut out window through which the required number of indicia are exposed.

One particularly advantageous feature of the price display unit in accordance with the present invention is that it can be readily dismantled into its individual components to enable these to be cleaned. The frame includes some means to enable the price display unit to be associated with the goods, the price of which is to be displayed.

There are a wide variety of forms of fittings to enable the price display unit to be associated with a shelf or basket holding the goods or alternatively stands to hold the price display unit adjacent the goods.

An example of a price display unit in according with this invention together with various modifications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the price display unit; Figure 2 is a vertical section through the assembled price display unit; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the price display unit; Figure 4 is a scrap rear perspective view of a modified price display unit; Figure 5 is a scrap rear perspective view of another modified price display unit; Figure 6 is a scrap rear perspective view showing a further modification to the price display unit; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of a set of tags.

This example of price display unit comprises a grooved frame 1, a transparent insert 2, an overlay 3, and individual tags 4 carrying indicia.

The frame 1 is grooved to enable it to receive the insert 2 and it has an opening 5 extending along its top side. The insert 2 includes eight individual compartments which are separated from one another by ribs 6. A stop formed by lugs 7 is provided at the top end of each compartment and a back wall 8 of each compartment is cut away to provided recesses 9. The overlay 3 includes a window 10 through which the tags 4 are visible, and it also includes printing which, in this example, at location 11 indicates the name of the store in which the price display unit is used and at location 1 2 indicates the description of the goods.

The tags that correspond to the price to be displayed by the display unit are placed in the compartments of the insert 2 and then the overlay 3 is placed in front of them. The overlay 3 together with the insert 2 is then slid into the grooved frame 1 through its open side 5. Once the insert 2 and overlay 3 are in position in the frame 1 the tags 4 are prevented from being dislodged by the stops formed by the lugs 7. The recesses 9 facilitate the interchange and removal of the tags 4. In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the frame 2 has riveted onto it two clips 13 and these clips 1 3 engage channels formed in the forward edges of shelves to permit the price display unit to be connected to the front edge of the shelves.

In the modification shown in Figure 4 brackets 14 are riveted to the rear of the frame 1 and these brackets 14 are interposed between the goods and the top of the shelf. In the modification shown in Figure 5 spring hooks 1 5 are riveted to the back of the frame 1. The spring hooks 1 5 are used to hold the price display unit onto a wire basket or upright fiddle at the front of a shelf. Finally, in the modification shown in Figure 6, a support stem 1 6 is cemented centrally onto the rear face of the frame 1 and this support may be used with a variety of interfitting extension pieces of different lengths, angled connectors such as angle connector 17, and bases such as base 18, to provide a free standing display unit. Such a display unit is particularly useful when associated with goods such as fresh meat or vegetables.

Preferably instead of the individual tags 4, a set of tags such as the set of tags 1 9 shown in Figure 7 which are held together by a ring 20 is located in the compartments of the insert 2. This arrangement ensures that the individual tags 4 are not lost. The price display unit may include more sets of tags 19 than the number of compartments exposed through the aperture 10 in the overlay 3 to enable a greater variety of indications to be given or indeed to enable the price display units to be used with a number of different overlays 3 so that the required number of tags and hence the required indicia can be presented.

Claims

1. A price display unit comprising an elongate grooved frame, an elongate transparent insert which includes a number of compartments extending transverse of the insert with stops at at least one of their ends, the insert fitting into the grooved frame with the at least one ends of the compartments of the insert adjacent an open side of the grooved frame, and tags which carry indicia and which fit into the compartments of the insert, the insert marshalling the tags so that the indicia on tags in adjacent compartments are aligned with one another and the stops on each compartment preventing the tags in the compartments being dislodged when the insert is in position in the grooved frame.

2. A price display unit according to claim 1, in which each of the compartments of the inserts holds a set of tags with the set of tags in each compartment being capable of displaying at least the numerals 0 to 9.

3. A price display unit according to claim 2, in which the indicia in each set include additional information such as "",".", "per", units of measurement such as "kg", "lb", and at least one blank tag.

4. A price display unit according to claim 2, in which additional sets of tags are included, the additional sets of tags only containing additional information such as "", ".","per", units of measurement such as "kg", "lb", and at least one blank tag and do not contain the numerals 0 to 9.

5. A price display unit according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4, in which the individual set of tags in each compartment are connected together by a ring or a ring binding.

6. A price display unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which compartments are formed along the entire length of the insert.

7. A price display unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the insert is inserted into the frame with the back of the insert towards the front of the frame so that the transparent back of the insert, provides glazing for the display unit and the tags are then visible through this transparent back of the insert.

8. A price display unit according to claim 7, in which the transparent back surface of the insert overprinted with information, such as the name of the store or the chain of stores or with information such as description of the goods to be sold, with at least a portion of the back surface of the insert not printed to leave a clear transparent window through which the tags can be viewed.

9. A price display unit according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, in which the insert is placed with its back adjacent the back of the frame.

10. A price display unit according to claim 9, also including an additional overlay which fits between the front of the frame and the front of the insert, the additional overlay being overprinted with information concerning the name of the store or the chain of stores and/or with a description of the goods to be sold and with a window of the required size exposing the required number of tags.

11. A price display unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the elongate grooved frame includes means to enable the price display unit to be associated with the goods, the price of which is to be displayed.

12. A price display unit according to claim 1, constructed substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.