Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention deals with a sign sys-
tem most advantageously employed in a grocery or super-
market environment. Signs of this nature are exten-
sively used in identifying the product and price of
such diverse items as produce, meat and poultry prod-
ucts, as well as deli and dairy items.
Virtually all consumers are familiar with
signs currently employed by grocery stores and super-
markets to identify and display the pricing of various
meat and deli items. Such signs have a generally plas-
tic support backing provided with ridges, as well as
slots for accepting alpha-numeric product identifiers.
More specifically, numerals are provided with support
extensions which are intended to pass through slots to
retain elements on said support backing. As such, the
grocery or supermarket clerk can readily change the
pricing information as needed.
Similarly, a planar insert possessing prod-
uct identifying information can be removable and in-
serted on support backing by passing the corners of theplanar insert through slits beneath raised portion. In
employing such a display sign system, a single support
backing can be employed for an unlimited number of
products by simply changing the pricing numerals and
planar inserts.
It is quite apparent that virtually all of
the alpha-numeric product identifiers appear on the
front of the sign which is intended to face the con-
sumer. As a consequence, the sales person, viewing only
a surface of the backing is not privy to the alpha-
numeric product identiiers without removal of the sign
or product from its display, or by contorting to see
what the consumer sees. Often times, the sales person
will attempt to identify the product on surface through
the use of a self-made embossed label or grease pencil.
Regardless of which expedient is employed, the sales
person is required to provide his own product identifi-
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ers and to change these identifiers each time front
face of the display sign is changed. This not only
results in additional work for the sales person, but
also can result in errors and inaccuracies when the
harried sales person forgets to change his own self-
made labeling to comport the changes seen by the
consumer.
It is thus an object of the present inven-
tion to provide a display sign system which eliminates
the deficiencies of the prior art as enumerated above.
It is yet a further object to the present
invention to provide a display sign system whereby
alpha-numeric product identifiers visible to the con-
sumer are also visible to the sales person, thus
eliminating the additional work and inaccuracies
inherent in the use of prior sign systems.
The present invention deals with a grocery
display sign comprising a support backing having one or
more regions for accepting and displaying interchange-
able alpha-numeric product identifiers and pricing
information. The present invention is improved over
the prior art by providing a window region within the
support backing and a planar insert for being removably
retained by the support backing to substantially cover
the window region. The planar insert possesses product
identifying information on both of its planar sides so
that the product identifying information can be read
both on the front of the display sign and through the
window region by viewing the back of the display sign.
These and further objects will be more
readily appreciated when considering the following
disclosure and appended drawings wherein:
Figs. lA, lB, lC, and lD represent the front
and rear faces of typical prior art grocery display
sign systems; and
Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D represent the
grocery display sign system of the present invention.
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Such signs are shown in Figs. lA and lB, lC
and lD wherein a generally plastic support backing 10
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is provided with ridges 17 and 18, as well as slots 16
and 19 for accepting alpha-numeric product identifiers.
More specifically, numerals 11 are provided with sup-
port extensions 15 which are intended to pass through
slots 16 to retain elements 11 on said support backing.
As such, the grocery or supermarket clerk can readily
change the pricing information as needed.
Similarly, planar insert 12A/12B possessing
product identifying information can be removable and
inserted on support backing 10 by passing the corners
of the planar insert through slits 19 beneath raised
portion 17. In employing such a display sign system, a
single support backing can be employed for an unlimited
number of products by simply changing the pricing nu-
merals 11 and planar inserts 12A/12B.
It is quite apparent in examining Figs. lA,
lB, lC and lD that virtually all of the alpha-numeric
product identifiers appear on the front of the sign
which is intended to face the consumer. As a conse-
quence, the sales person, viewing only surface 13 ofbacking 10 (Fig. lD) is not privy to the alpha-numeric
product identifiers without removal of the sign or
product from its display, or by contorting to see what
the consumer sees. Often times, the sales person will
attempt to identify the product on surface 13 through
the use of a self-made embossed label or grease pencil.
Regardless of which expedient is employed, the sales
person is required to provide his own product identifi-
ers and to change these identifiers each time front
face 14 of the display sign is changed. This not only
results in additional work for the sales person, but
also can result in errors and inaccuracies when the
harried sales person forgets to change his own self-
made labeling to comport to changes seen by the
consumer.
Turning to Figs. 2A, a grocery sign display
is shown comprising support backing 30 having a front
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face 31. Unlike the prior art configuration shown in
Fig. lA, the support backing of the present invention
is provided with an open window region 33. Although the
numerical pricing information of the present invention
is virtually of the same nature as that discussed
previously regarding Fig. 1, the present invention is
now provided with planar insert 34A/34B which is in-
tended to be held by support backing 30 by inserting
corners of the planar insert through slots 35 at
ridges 36.
In viewing Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D, it is
seen that the product identifying information is re-
peated on both planar sides of insert 34A/34B. As such,
the sales person in viewing rear side 32 (Fig. 2B) of
the grocery display sign is readily cognizant of the
product being sold. In addition, information which is
relevant only to the sales person can be employed on
backside 34B of the planar insert, such as the scale
code identifying the price per pound of the item being
sold.
The advantages inherent in employing the
grocery display sign of the present invention are read-
ily apparent. Each time the product identifying infor-
mation is changed while employing a common support
backing, the sales person is simultaneously provided
with the change. No longer does the sales person have
to provide his own handmade identifier or remove the
display sign to read the product identifying informa-
tion available to the customer.
It is to be understood that modifications
and changes in the preferred embodiment of the inven-
tion herein described and shown can be made without de-
parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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