GB2249654A

GB2249654A - A ticketing system

Info

Publication number: GB2249654A
Application number: GB9121231A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ray Errol Pye
Original assignee: BURNS PHILP HARDWARE Ltd
Current assignee: BURNS PHILP HARDWARE Ltd
Priority date: 1990-10-05
Filing date: 1991-10-07
Publication date: 1992-05-13
Also published as: GB9121231D0

Abstract

A ticketing system comprises a base plate 1 and a plurality of signs 2 carrying information relating to a product to be sold. In particular, there is provided, with each base plate 1, a set of signs 2 carrying numerals which can be combined to display any desired price for the product and letters which can be combined to produce the name of the product. The base plate 1 is made of metal and the signs 2 are magnetised. In this way, the desired signs can be placed on the defined areas of the base plate and will remain there due to magnetic attraction. In order to reduce the likelihood of the signs slipping down when the plate is 3 vertical, the areas 3, 4, S and 6 are each provided with a lip 7 upstanding out of the plane of the plate 1 to form an abutment against which the signs 2 can be placed. The lip 7 is preferably formed by deforming the plate 1 by punching from the back side thereof to produce a ridge. However, the lips 7 could, alternatively, be formed by thin rods of metal or other material fastened to the base plate 1 by any suitable means. <IMAGE>

Description

A71Cl(f\rG SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ticketing systems, and more particularly to ticketing systems for displaying prices and other information adjacent a product in a store or shop, or similar environment.

When the price of a particular product changes, this requires the ticket displaying the price adjacent the product to be changed so as to give the new price. Furthermore, if the product Is specially promoted in some way, for example, by means of special advertisements, price or other incentive, it is usually desirable to highlight the promotion adjacent to the product.

Such tickets have hitherto either been specially printed with the price and the promotion reminder, or have been written by hand. In stores which frequently change the price and/or the promotion of a product, this has meant either a complicated and costly printing service or the relatively unprofessional look of hand-written tickets.

There have been some attempts made to facilitate the hand drawing of tickets to look more professional, for example, by providing tickets with outlines of prices and/or promotional slogans preprinted thereon, thus allowing the store simply to black-in the required price.

However, even this requires considerable time and effort on the part of the store to produce fresh tickets each time a price or promotion changes.

There is therefore a need for a ticketing system which allows for quick and easy changes to be made to the price and/or slogan on a ticket and yet appear "professional" to the consumer in the store.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the invention comprises a ticketing system for use in shops or stores to allow quick and easy changes to be made to information displayed on the ticket, the system comprising a base plate having one or more defined areas for displaying information relating to a product, the or at least some of the area(s) being provided with a lip along a lower edge thereof, and a set of signs, each sign in the set carrying information which can be used, alone or in combination with other sign(s) in the set to provide the information relating to the product, one or more of the signs being placed on an area of the base plate abutting the lip and being secured thereon by magnetic attraction between the sign and the base plate and being further prevented from slipping by the lip.

The set of signs preferably includes a plurality of signs carrying numerals which can be combined to display the price of the product. The set of signs preferably also includes signs carrying promotional slogans relating to the sale of the product.

In a preferred embodiment, the base plate is made of painted metal and includes areas for receiving price information, a description of the goods and areas for receiving promotional information. The signs are preferably made of plastics sheeting having magnetised metallic powder dispersed therein. It will, of course, be appreciated that either the base plate or the signs, or both, can be permanently magnetised.

Preferably, the lip(s) comprise(s) part of the base plate deformed to form a ridge. However, the lip(s) could alternately comprise(s) a longitudinal member attached to the base plate in the appropriate position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING One embodiment of a ticketing system according to the invention will now be more fully described, by way of example, with reference to the drawing, which shows the ticketing system in schematic form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Thus, as shown in the drawing, the invention provides a ticketing system for use in shops or stores, or similar places, to display information relating to a product adjacent that product.

The ticketing system comprises a base plate 1 and a plurality of signs 2 carrying information relating to the product to be sold. In particular, there is provided, with each base plate 1, a set of signs 2 carrying numerals which can be combined to display any desired price for the product and letters which can be combined to produce the name of the product.

As shown in the drawing, there are provided three defined areas 3, 4 and 5 for receiving a desired combination of letter-carrying signs to provide a description of the product and a further defined area 6 for receiving numeral-carrying signs to produce the price of the product. It will be appreciated that the defined area 6 for displaying the price information is arranged so as to receive signs of different sizes so as to clearly display dollars and cents.

The base plate 1 is made of metal and the signs .2 are magnetised. In this way, the desired signs can be placed on the defined areas of the base plate and will remain there due to magnetic attraction.

In order to reduce the likelihood of the signs slipping down when the plate is vertical, the areas 3, 4, 5 and 6 are each provided with a lip 7 upstanding out of the plane of the plate 1 to form an abutment against which the signs 2 can be placed. The lip 7 is preferably formed by deforming the plate 1 by punching from the back side thereof to produce a ridge. However, the lips 7 could, alternatively, be formed by thin rods of metal or other material fastened to the base plate 1 by any suitable means.

The signs 2 are preferably made of flexible plastics material in which a magnetised metallic powder has been dispersed prior to setting of the plastics material. The desired letters, numerals and other information are then printed on a large sheet of the material, which is then cut into the individual signs 2. It will be apparent that any desired colours of the information and of the background can be chosen. Furthermore, some signs are made of plain background colour so as to provide "space" signs.

In a preferred embodiment, as shown, the plate 1 is also provided with a defined area 8 for receiving promotional slogans or other information relating to the product. These slogans are also preprinted on magnetic material similar to that of the signs 2 and a set of slogans such as "SPECIAL", "CATALOGUE SPECIAL" or "AS ADVERTISED" can be provided with each ticketing system.

It will further be appreciated that although in the illustrated embodiment all the information relating to the product is displayed using a combination of the signs 2, it is possible to preprint some information, for example the name of the product, directly onto the base plate and only to provide signs for displaying changeable information such as price and/or promotional slogans.

Thus, there has been disclosed a system for displaying information relating to a product in a store adjacent the product but which allows the information to be quickly and easily changed, as desired, while still giving a professional appearance due to being preprinted.

Claims

1. A ticketing system for use in shops or stores to allow quick and easy changes to be made to information displayed on the ticket, the system comprising a base plate having one or more defined areas for displaying information relating to a product, the or at least some of the area(s) being provided with a lip along a lower edge thereof, and a set of signs, each sign in the set carrying information which can be used, alone or in combination with other sign(s) in the set to provide the information relating to the product, one or more of the signs being placed on an area of the base plate abutting the lip and being secured thereon by magnetic attraction between the sign and the base plate and being further prevented from slipping by the lip.

2. A ticketing system according to claim 1, wherein the set of signs includes a plurality of signs carrying numerals which can be combined to display the price of the product.

3. A ticketing system according to any preceding claim, wherein the set of signs includes signs carrying promotional slogans relating to the sale of the product.

4. A ticketing system according to any preceding claim, wherein the base plate is made of painted metal and includes areas for receiving price information, a description of the product and areas for receiving promotional information.

5. A ticketing system according to any preceding claim, wherein either the base plate or the signs, or both, are permanently magnetised.

6. A ticketing system according to any preceding claim, wherein the signs are made of plastics sheeting having magnetised metallic powder dispersed therein.

7. A ticketing system according to any preceding claim, wherein the lip(s) comprise(s) part of the base plate deformed to form a ridge.

8. A ticketing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lip(s) comprise(s) a longitudinal member attached to the base plate in the appropriate position.

9. A ticketing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.