JPH0572587B2 - - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Adjustable price display devices are commonly used in retail stores to display the prices of various brands of beer, cigarettes, etc. for sale. U.S. Patent Nos. 3,939,584 and 4,216,599 are both U.S. Pat.
Like No. 4220948, it is related to this type of display device.

The former two patents disclose carriers for film strips. The latter patent discloses the use of a coiled film strip with Arabic numerals. Among them, the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No. 4,216,599,
Discloses the use of a film strip with ends projecting rearwardly from two sides of the carrier, the strip being provided with ears at each end to prevent it from being pulled completely away from the carrier. .

Other prior art broadly related to various aspects of the present invention include U.S. Pat.
There are Nos. 3021140, 3785553, 2058614, and 3115115.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a back-lit price display for displaying the price of articles, and in one embodiment the invention is of the same general type as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,599. A front frame and film strip carrier means are used.

One important feature of the invention is that each film strip is a continuous loop that loops loosely around the film strip carrier and is positioned completely in front of the light source within the housing.

Both a coiled film strip of the type of the '584 patent and a flat film strip of the type of '4,216,599 extend loosely on either side of the film strip carrier. It was designed on the assumption that there should be no obstacles between the beam and the irradiated area. However, the Applicant has found that this is not necessary, and as a result allows the use of a short continuous loop of filmstrip that wraps around the film strip carrier completely in front of the light source, thereby allowing the filmstrip to The fear of the lip accidentally leaving the carrier has been completely eliminated.

Another important feature of the invention is that each film strip carrier has a transverse slot centrally laterally within the window immediately inboard of and parallel to the transverse edge of the front frame window, and Each filmstrip has an index hole that aligns with one slot, such that when one hole is moved from one end of the slot to the other, the filmstrip fills one section. movement and associated with the film strip section to properly position the section within the window. An index hole in the film strip is adapted to receive a needle for strip movement.

The above structure ensures a very easy adjustment of the film strip from one digit to another and also ensures that the digits are precisely positioned in the correct position of the guide.

In embodiments of the invention, the film strip may cooperate with a figure eight pattern to simulate the general type of synthetic digital numerals found in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,216,599 and 4,220,948, The filmstrip is provided with Arabic numerals that are either transparent on an opaque film strip or opaque on a transparent film strip.

2 if the device uses synthetic digital numbers.
It can be embodied in two types. In a first embodiment, the film strip carrier is translucent and the figure eight pattern is formed in a die cut plastic sheet that rests between the carrier and the front frame. In a second embodiment, the film strip carrier is an opaque molded plastic with a figure 8 aperture pattern and the plastic sheet between the carrier and the front frame is transparent and can be colored if desired.

In either of the above configurations, the transparent sheet includes a slot in alignment with a slot in the filmstrip carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, an adjustable beer price display device, generally designated 20, includes a brand display field 21 on the left, price display fields 22-26 for various packaging types in the center. and a decorative (here landscape) display field on the right. Fields 22, 23 and 24 are for small bags which require a 3 character price display, while fields 25 and 26 are for large cases which require a 4 character price display. Individual price display bands are shown in Figure 2 from 28 to 33.
(6 vertically) and are shown as 34 to 37 in FIG. 3 (lower two brackets in FIG. 1).

Referring now to FIG. 2, price display device 20
The back wall 39, the bottom wall 40, the top wall 41, and the end wall 42
(only one of which is shown). The light source towards the rear of the housing 38 typically consists of three arc tubes 43 and the necessary socket and zero fittings.

The front frame 44 is made of molded plastic and has a bottom wall 45, a top wall 46, an end wall 47 and a front wall 48. Frame bottom wall, top wall 45, 46, and end wall 4
Outer flanges 49 at 7 are snapped into fitting slots in housing walls 40, 41 and 42, respectively, by the resiliency of the molded plastic wall of front frame 44.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the front wall 48 of the front frame 44 is formed with a plurality of horizontal rows of windows (two rows 49, 50 are shown here), and each row is separated by the windows 51 in row 49. , 52 and 53 and column 50
Rectangular number display windows such as windows 54, 55 and 56 are provided. Between windows 51 and 52 and between windows 54 and 55 there are small round holes 57 and 58 which provide a decimal point between the numbers in these windows. As seen in FIG. 3, the decimal point display holes 57 and 58
It is located immediately to the left of the two windows on the right in each of 6, 37, etc.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the film strip carrier means (shown generally as 59 in FIG. 4) is shown in FIG.
5 and 60 for a plurality of filmstrip carriers. Film strip carrier arrangement 60 has a transverse central bar 61 and semicircular mounting ears 62 at its two ends, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. central bar 6
1 extends upwardly an upper set 63 of three film strip carriers 64, 65, 66, while a lower set 67 of three film strip carriers 68, 69, 70 extends downwardly from the central bar 61. is extending. The film strip carriers each consist of a flat body with rounded edges 64a, 65a, 66a (FIG. 4).

The filmstrip carrier is provided with transverse slots 64b-66b and 68b-70b. Each of the slots accommodates a carrier in a position such that when the strip carrier arrangement is attached to the front frame, each of the slots is just inside and parallel to the transverse edge of the window, as seen in FIG. It is positioned laterally in the center.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a die cut plastic sheet 71 extends the entire length of the price fields 22-26 and has holes 7 aligned with semicircular ears 62 in each film strip carrier arrangement.
2 is formed. In addition, the plastic sheet 71 has an aperture pattern forming the number 8, shown generally at 73 in FIG. Each of the opening patterns consists of parallel upright left and right side strips 7.
4, 75 and parallel upper, middle and lower connecting strips 76,
77 and 78. Each of the number 8 aperture patterns is aligned with the area directly above the transverse slot of the film strip carrier when the sheet and film strip carrier arrays are all mounted on the front frame 44. It is positioned on the plastic sheet 71 so that it is. In addition, the plastic sheet has slots 79 that align with transverse slots in the film carrier.

4, 8 and 15, the equivalent continuous film strip loops 80, 81 and 82 are transparent and have a digit 8 aperture in the plastic sheet to define a particular digit in the digital digit string being created. The opacity shown for 0-9 and blunters cooperates with the number 8 aperture pattern in the manner illustrated in FIG. 15 by obscuring selected ones of the strips 74-78 (FIG. 6) that make up the pattern. It has a section.

Each of the filmstrips also has a series of index holes 83, which are aligned with a pair of alignment slots, such as 64b and 79, when the price indicator is assembled, and these index holes 83 When a hole moves from one end of the slot to the other, it moves the film strip by one section and aligns one section of opaque area with the strip making up the figure 8 aperture pattern. Index hole 83 receives a needle for moving the filmstrip.

Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, the filmstrip carrier arrangement 60 includes upper filmstrip guide bosses 84 and 85 and lower filmstrip guide bosses 86 and 87, each of which It is fixed at one end to the flat plate of the strip carrier and has a free end spaced behind the next adjacent strip carrier as best seen in FIG. Before the entire device is assembled, a film strip is attached to each of the film strip carriers of each film strip carrier arrangement. Thus, the filmstrip 80 is installed by passing it on one side through the narrow opening between the boss 86 and the carrier 69 and moving it around the filmstrip carrier 68 from the bottom upwards. When the filmstrip is fully seated, its lower edge rests on boss 86.

The filmstrip 81 is then mounted on the carrier 69 by inserting it between the bosses 86 and 87 and the respective carriers 69 and 70 on both sides thereof. After that, the film strip 82 is attached to the boss 87 and the carrier 70.
It is attached by sliding its side through the space between the

Similarly, film strip carriers 64, 6
Film strips (only film strip 82a is illustrated in FIG. 8) are mounted on the film strips 5 and 66. When the film strip loops are mounted on the three carriers, they are in lateral contact so as to be laterally constrained to each other as seen in FIG.

After the film strip loop has been mounted onto the film strip carrier arrangement 60, the entire apparatus is assembled by first attaching the plastic sheet 71 to the front frame 44.
Assembly begins by placing the holes 72 in the plastic sheet against the back of the front face plate 48 so that the threaded mounting studs 88 fit therein. The studs 88 are integral with the front plate 48 of the front frame and are adapted to support the holes 72 in the plastic sheet 71 and the semicircular mounting ears 62 of the filmstrip carrier arrangement 60. As seen in FIG.
The washer 89 and nut 90 fitted on the front plate 8 are held flat against the back of the front plate 48 and held in place with the ears 62 overlapping.

After the entire display film strip carrier arrangement and plastic sheet have been attached to the front frame in the manner described above, the entire front frame with them is snapped into the front face of the housing 38.

Referring to FIGS. 10 to 14 showing the second embodiment of the present invention, the only difference between the first and second embodiments is as follows. In the first embodiment, the number 8 aperture pattern is on the plastic sheet 71 and the film strip carrier arrangement is transparent, whereas in the second embodiment the number 8 aperture pattern is on a film strip made of opaque plastic. Holes are formed in carrier arrangement 160, while plastic sheet 171 is transparent and only has mounting holes 172 and slots 179 formed therein. Therefore, in FIGS. 10 to 14,
The front frame member and film strip have the same reference numerals as used in FIGS. 4-8.

Number 8 on each film strip carrier
Since the aperture pattern is the same as the same pattern on the plastic sheet 71 and the mounting bosses, slots, etc. of the film strip carrier array 160 are the same as those of the same array 60, they are designated by corresponding numbers with an addition of 100. There is.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 16 and 17, a filmstrip 180 is used, shown as an opaque member having transparent Arabic numerals 1-0. Filmstrip 180 is formed with spaced apart index holes 183 which operate in the same manner as index holes 83 of previous filmstrips 80. Thus, as the hole 183 is moved from one end of the slot to the other, the hole 183 moves the strip from one position centered on one number within one window in the front frame to the next adjacent number. move to the correct position. Of course, the filmstrip can be transparent and the numbers opaque if desired.

When the film strip of FIG. 17 is used, the display device consists of a translucent film strip carrier arrangement 60 and a transparent plastic sheet 17.
It must be assembled using 1.

Since the digits of filmstrip 180 are larger than the digits formed by strip 80, viewing windows 151-156 are correspondingly larger as seen in FIG.

The transparent portions of any display may have any desired color to provide a variety of visual appearances.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a typical price display embodying the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the lower two price display bands in parentheses in FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a front view of a film strip carrier arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention. 6th
The figure is a partial front view of a plastic sheet for use with the carrier of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a partial front view of the front frame. Figure 8 is 8- of Figure 4.
FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged sectional view taken along line 8. Figure 9 is the 4th
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 in the figure. FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 in a second specific example of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a front view of a film strip carrier arrangement of the type used in FIG. 12 is a partial front view of a plastic sheet for use with the carrier of FIG. 11; FIG. FIG. 13 is a partial front view of the front frame, and is the same as FIG. 7. Figure 14 is 14- in Figure 10.
14 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 14. FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing how each of the opaque area patterns in the film strip cooperates with one of the figure 8 aperture patterns to form Arabic numerals or blank spaces. FIG. 16 is a partial front view illustrating an Arabic numeral display of the same price as the two created characters shown on the left side of FIG. FIG. 17 is a front view of an opaque film strip with transparent Arabic numerals. 20...Price display device, 21...Brand display column, 22-26...Price display column, 38...Housing, 43...Light source, 44...Front frame, 51-5
6... Window, 57, 58... Decimal point display hole, 59...
...Film strip carrier means, 60...Film strip carrier arrangement, 64-66,
68-70...Film strip carrier, 6
4a-66a...Rounded edge, 61...Central bar, 6
2...Mounting ears, 64b to 66b, 68b to 70
b...Transverse slot, 71...Plastic sheet, 74-78...Strip constituting the number 8, 79...Slot, 80...Film strip (loop), 83... Index hole.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A housing, a light source at the rear within the housing, and a front frame attached to the housing and having a plurality of horizontal rows of windows, each window being one of the objects illuminated from behind. A front frame for displaying numbers, a film strip carrier means attached to the housing, and a film strip supported by each carrier, the film strip carrier being in close proximity to each window. The carriers are arranged in cooperative relation and each carrier cooperates with the front frame to form a guide slot for holding one section of the filmstrip flat against the window, through which the filmstrip is passed in an end direction. a rear-illuminated goods price display device which is movable from one to the other and wherein each section of the film strip displays one of the numbers 1 to 0 in a window, wherein each film strip carrier a transverse slot immediately inboard and parallel to the window transverse edge centrally between the side edges of the window, and each filmstrip having an index hole aligned with one slot; When a hole is moved from one end of the slot to the other, the filmstrip moves one section and centers one section within the window, and the index hole is used to move the filmstrip by one section. A price indicator adapted to receive a needle, each film strip being a continuous loop loosely encircling the film strip carrier and positioned completely forward of the light source within the housing. Device. 2. The strip carrier consists of a flat plate with rounded side edges, a right-hand carrier, a center carrier and a left-hand carrier are located immediately adjacent to each other, and the film strip in these three carriers is 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the loops are in laterally restraining relationship with each other. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plastic sheet is provided between the front frame and the film strip carrier means and in contact with the film strip surface. 4. Each film strip carrier consists of an opaque flat top plate having an aperture pattern forming the number 8 consisting of parallel upright left and right side strips and parallel top, middle and bottom connecting strips; the plastic sheet is transparent and includes an opaque band pattern positionable to block selected ones of the strips making up said digit 8 to define one of the digits 1 to 0 in each section; An apparatus according to claim 3. 5. A transverse slot is formed in the plastic sheet and in each film strip carrier, centered between the side edges of the window, immediately inboard of and parallel to the window transverse edge, the length of the alignment slot being the width of the number 8 pattern. the index holes in each filmstrip are aligned with the slot and the index holes in each film strip are aligned with each other when one hole is moved from one end of the slot to the other. the strip is moved one section and associated with the opaque band pattern in the filmstrip to align the opaque band of one section with the strip making up the number eight; 5. A device according to claim 4, adapted to receive a needle for. 6. Each film strip carrier consists of a translucent planar plate, the plastic sheet being opaque and having an aperture pattern forming a figure 8 with parallel upright left and right side strips and parallel top, middle and bottom connecting strips. , each film strip is transparent and has an opaque band pattern which blocks selected ones of the strips forming the number 8 to define one of the numbers 1 to 0 in each section. Apparatus according to scope 3. 7. A transverse slot is formed in the plastic sheet and each film strip carrier, centered between the side edges of the window, immediately inboard of and parallel to the window transverse edge, the length of the alignment slot being the width of the number 8 pattern. the index holes in each filmstrip are aligned with the slot and the index holes in each film strip are aligned with each other when one hole is moved from one end of the slot to the other. The strip moves one section and is associated with the opaque band pattern in the filmstrip to align the opaque band of one section with the strip making up the number 8, and the index hole 7. A device as claimed in claim 6, adapted to receive a needle for use. 8. The invention of claim 3, wherein each film strip carrier comprises a translucent planar plate, the plastic sheet is transparent and each film strip section has an Arabic numeral in its center. Device. 9. The plastic sheet and each film strip carrier are formed with a transverse slot aligned centrally between the side edges of the window, immediately inside and parallel to the window transverse edge, the length of the alignment slot being relative to the width of the window. so that the index holes in each filmstrip are aligned with the slots and that the index holes in each filmstrip are in a predetermined relationship when one hole is moved from one end of the slot to the other. associated with an Arabic numeral in the filmstrip to move one sector and position an Arabic numeral in the center of the window, and the index hole is adapted to receive a needle for film strip movement. An apparatus according to claim 4. 10. A front frame having a housing, a light source in the rear part within the housing, and a front frame attached to the housing and having a plurality of horizontal rows of windows, each window displaying a single digit of the price of an item illuminated from behind. a film strip carrier means mounted to the housing, and a film strip supported by each carrier, the film strip carrier being disposed in close cooperative relationship with each window. and each carrier cooperates with the front frame to form a guide slot for holding one section of the filmstrip flat against the window through which the filmstrip can be moved endwise and A backlit goods price display device in which each film strip carrier is adapted to display one of the digits 1 to 0 in the window, the film strip carrier being arranged between the side edges of the window. a transverse slot in the center immediately inside and parallel to the window transverse edge, and each filmstrip has an index hole aligned with one slot; When moved from one end to the other, the filmstrip moves one section and centers one section within the window so that the index hole receives the needle for moving the filmstrip. A price display device characterized by: 11. A plastic sheet is provided between the front frame and the film strip carrier means in such a way that the surface of the film strip is in contact with the plastic sheet, and the plastic sheet is fitted with all the slots in the film strip carrier. Claim 10 in which aligned slots are present
Apparatus described in section. 12 The strip carrier consists of a flat plate with rounded side edges, a right-hand carrier, a center carrier and a left-hand carrier are present immediately adjacent to each other and the film strip in these three carriers is 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the loops are in laterally restraining relationship with each other. 13. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that a plastic sheet is provided between the front frame and the film strip carrier means and in contact with the film strip surface. 14 Each film strip carrier consists of an opaque planar plate having an aperture pattern forming the number 8 consisting of parallel upright left and right side strips and parallel top, middle and bottom connecting strips; the plastic sheet is transparent and includes an opaque band pattern positionable to block selected ones of the strips making up said digit 8 to define one of the digits 1 to 0 in each section; Claim 13
Apparatus described in section. 15 Each film strip carrier consists of a translucent planar plate, the plastic sheet being opaque and having an aperture pattern forming a figure 8 with parallel upright left and right side strips and parallel top, middle and bottom connecting strips. , each film strip is transparent and has an opaque band pattern which blocks selected ones of the strips forming the number 8 to define one of the numbers 1 to 0 in each section. The device according to scope item 13. 16. Claim 13, wherein each film strip carrier comprises a translucent planar plate, the plastic sheet is transparent and each film strip section has an Arabic numeral in its center.
Apparatus described in section.