Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title: IDENTIFICATION CHANNEL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to identification or display
channels for displaying brand and product information in stores.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently, in retail stores, many consumer products are
displayed on open shelves. Typically, a store will be configured with long
aisles, on either side of which are tiers of shelves. The shelves themselves
can be formed in different ways, and may be solid, for example formed
from sheet steel or a wood product, or may be in the form of an open wire
mesh.
Such shelving is commonly used in grocery stores, drug
stores and the like, which deal with a large variety of products. Many
products are available from a number of different manufacturers, and
come in a variety of forms, with regard to the size, flavouring or other
characteristics. For example, in drug stores there is a wide variety of
remedies available for common colds, coughs, etc., which come in a
number of different sizes and formulations for different applications.
There thus arises the issue of adequately informing a
consumer or purchaser as to the brands, varieties, sizes etc. available. This
is also highly desirable for store staff, to ensure proper restocking of
shelves.
A further consideration is that the information should
include both brand or product information, and pricing information. It
will be appreciated that the brand information changes infrequently, while
pricing information can change frequently. It is common practice for
stores to run weekly promotional sales, requiring prices to be altered
weekly. This requirement for, in effect, two separate pieces of information
causes considerable difficulty.
Currently, much shelving has a vertical, upstanding strip,
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which extends either up or down, to retain product on the shelve. This is
often provided with an elongate strip or channel, for brand information or
the like. On or in this channel, stickers are mounted advising purchasers
of the product and brand located at that position. It is highly desirable to
incorporate trade mark and other design features in the colours and style
associated with a particular product, since these are readily recognizable to
purchasers.
However, such a brand identification sticker can take up
all or most of the space available on the strips, leaving little or no space forpricing information. Current practice in many stores is simply to place
price or UPC (universal product code) stickers on top of the brand stickers.
This is highly undesirable, since it obliterates or renders unrecognizable
the brand information.
One proposed solution has been to provide "flip
channels" which should enable both items of information to be displayed.
In practice, it has been found that these are used improperly or not at all.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INFORMATION
Accordingly, there currently exists a problem in
providing both brand and pricing information for merchandise displays. It
is desirable to provide some means for displaying both pieces of
information, while permitting either to be updated as desired, and without
obstructing consumer access to the merchandise or product.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a channel for mounting on an edge strip of a shelf; the channel
comprising: a mounting portion including means for securing the channel
to the edge strip of a shelf; an upper web providing an upper display face;
and a lower web providing a lower display face, the upper and lower webs
being integral with the mounting portion.
The two display faces can then be used to display both
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brand and pricing information, and it is suggested that the upper face
could be used for brand information and the lower face for price
information
Preferably, the upper web extends from the mounting
portion, and the lower web extends from the upper web. More preferably,
the upper web extends forwardly from the mounting portion to a front
edge of the upper web, an intermediate web extends rearwardly between
the front edge of the upper web and the lower web, and the lower web
extends from the intermediate web.
Advantageously, the mounting portion defines an
elongate slot for engaging the edge strip of a shelf, which slot is generally
parallel with the lower web. The mounting portion preferably then
includes a securing element located within the slot and including a
plurality of engagement strips which extend inwardly and upwardly from
sides of the slot, for engaging the edge strip of a shelf.
For engagement with an upwardly extending edge strip,
the mounting portion can have an upper edge from which the upper web
extends, and the slot of the mounting portion would then open
downwardly.
For simplicity and economy, the mounting channel and
any securing element are preferably formed by extrusion, are of generally
uniform cross-section throughout, and are provided in indefinite length.
The channel can then be cut to length as required
The present invention also provides, in combination, a
shelving unit, including a base, a back member and a plurality of shelves
extending outwardly from the back member, and at least one channel as
just defined, wherein each shelf includes an edge strip and each channel is
mounted by the mounting portion thereof to one edge strip.
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SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and
to show more clearly how the same may be carried into effect, reference
will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in
which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shelving assembly
including a channel in accordance to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view through the channel
of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a view of complete shelving unit
incorporating the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings, a conventional shelving unit is
indicated at 10. In known manner, the shelving unit 10 includes a base 12
for supporting the unit on the floor, a vertical, back member 14, and a
plurality of shelves 16 extending outwardly from the back member. The
shelves 16 can extend either horizontally or can be inclined as desired.
Commonly, the shelves 16 may be inclined downwardly away from the
back member, so as to encourage products to slide towards the front of the
shelve 16 as the product is removed.
The drawings show the detail of one shelf 16, which
includes at the front a vertical upstanding edge strip 17.
It will be appreciated that the exact construction and
details of the shelving unit 10 can be conventional. By way of example,
the drawings show shelves 16 formed from coated wire. The edge strip 17
is formed from sheet metal 18 secured to the wire frame, to provide a front
face 19.
Conventionally, this front face 19 is used for brand
identification stickers and pricing stickers. As discussed above, this gives a
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problem that there is insufficient space for all these stickers and
information. Consequently, the price or UPC stickers are frequently
applied on top of the brand stickers, obliterating, at least partially, the
brand information.
Now, in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a channel designated by the reference 20. The channel 20 has a
mounting portion 22, which is continuous with an upper web 24. the web
24 has a curved profile to provide a convex upper display face 26. The web
24 continues into an intermediate web 28, which in turn is connected to a
vertical web 30. The web 30 provides a vertical display face 32.
The elements 22-32 are integrally formed together.
Conveniently, they comprise a plastic extrusion, which is produced in
indefinite length, and is cut to length as desired. Within the mounting
portion 22, there is a securing element 34. Again, this securing element 34
can be produced in indefinite length, mounted within the portion 22, and
cut to length with the channel 20.
The securing element 34 comprises opposing side
members 35 and 36. Each side member 35, 36 includes a plurality of
engagement strips 38 extending inwardly and upwardly. Side member 35,
36 are joined at the top as shown.
As shown, in use, the channel 20 is engaged with the
metal edge strip 17, by simply sliding the mounting portion 22 vertically
downwards onto it. As shown, the edge strip 17 is accommodated between
the side member 35, 36. The engagement strips 38, are resilient, and due to
their inclined configuration bear against the strip 17 to securely hold the
channel 20 in position.
The display faces 26, 32 are then oriented, so as to be
clearly visible by a consumer. As shown, it is suggested that brand
identification stickers be provided along the upper display face 26. Stickers
including pricing and UPC information would then be provided on the
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vertical display face 32 immediately below the corresponding brand sticker.
This ensures that the brand identification stickers are not
marked or covered by the pricing stickers. For the users, it means that on
seeing a product they can immediately identify the brand, if this is not
clear from the product itself, and check the price from the associated
pricing sticker. There should be no problem with one sticker being
partially obliterated, or pricing stickers being offset to one side, making it
unclear as to exactly which price sticker is associated with which product.
It will be appreciated that, in modern retailing
environments, it is common practice not to price each item individually,
so as to save on labour costs. Consumers therefore have to rely on the
price stickers on the display shelves to check price information, so it is
important that each price sticker be clearly associated with the correct
section of the display.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described, it will be appreciated that many modifications are possible
within the scope of the present invention. For example, the order in
which the elements of the mounting portion 22, upper web 24, and
vertical web 30 are connected to one another can be varied. In a variant,
the intermediate web 28 could be omitted, and the vertical web 30 could
extend immediately from either the front or centre of the upper web 24. It
is also possible for the upper web 24 to be connected to the mounting
portion 22 at a different location, for example, towards the bottom of the
mounting portion 22 or the front thereof.
Additionally, the orientation and shape of the display
surfaces 26, 32 could be varied. For example, the surface 26 could be flat,
instead of convex, and the face 32 could be inclined forwardly, rather being
generally vertical.
It will in any event be appreciated the exact orientation of
the individual elements will depend upon the configuration of each
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individual shelving unit. For some shelving units, the edge strip 17 will
be perpendicular to the shelf 16. Where the shelf 16 is inclined, it is
necessarily means that the vertical strip 17 is correspondingly inclined to
the vertical, which will alter the orientation of a channel 20 mounted
thereon. Also. it is quite common for shelves to be provided with edge
strips that extend downwardly, so as not to obstruct the goods. The
invention is equally applicable to such shelf designs, with the mounting
portion 22 opening upwardly rather than downwardly as shown; in such a
variant, the web 24 could extend from the bottom of the mounting portion
22.
