ATBECHDEDKESFRGBGRITLILUNLSEMCPTIESILTLVFIROMKCYALTR............................JDIM360 (Ver 1.5 21 Nov 2005) - 1100000/0 1710000/01349133EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATIONpublished in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPCA120031001EP01998956.52001112820030626esenen20000284120001128ES20031001200340200310012003407 7G 09F 3/20 AdeSYSTEM ZUM FIXIEREN VON ETIKETTENHALTERN UND REGALENenSYSTEM FOR FIXING LABEL HOLDERS AND SHELVESfrSYSTEME DE FIXATION POUR PORTE-ETIQUETTES ET ETAGERES1 Yudigar S.L.041294906102543Pol, Ind. La Veguilla50400 Carinena (Zaragoza)ESARTERO RUIZ, FernandoPol. Ind. La VeguillaE-50400 Carinena (Zaragoza)ESMARIN VILLAMAYOR, IgnacioPol. Ind. La VeguillaE-50400 Carinena (Zaragoza)ESSchäfer, Matthias, Dipl.-Ing.00098211Keplerstrasse 181679 MünchenDEATBECHCYDEDKESFIFRGBGRIEITLILUMCNLPTSETRALLTLVMKROSIES010046520011128esWO0204505520020606200223

Anchorage system used to attach label holders to shelves in order to display labels with information about product prices, characteristics, etc. The system is made up of two basic components: the label holder and the shelf. The label holder is made up of a low, transparent two-sheet strip with variable length. At the rear of the band there are pins that anchor it to the housing provided at both front ends of the shelf thanks to the annexed fold of the laminated shelf. At the top of the label holder there is a small recess to position it in either a vertical or tilted position.

The present descriptive memory refers, as its title indicates, to an anchorage system used for fixing label holders onto shelves, in order to display labels with information about the prices or any other characteristic of the products stored on the shelves.

Currently, there are many label holders whose purpose is to house labels with information about product prices, peculiarities, references, etc. These label holders are usually fitted to the shelves by means of prehensile pins, or any other type of anchorage means such as staples, rivets or others. The most common design of the current label holders for shelves used in shops consists of means of anchorage situated at the back of a low very long plate or band that can contains a transparent two-sheet strip at the front, so that the labels can be inserted between both sheets.

Current label holders, specially the older ones, have the disadvantage of being a little outdated and, at the same time, very expensive to manufacture, as in many cases they are single-label holders, i.e. they only hold one label, and therefore their manufacture and later assembly become expensive.

As for more recent label holders, it must be said that, although they can house several labels, they are fixed to the shelves with some rather complicated systems that result in high manufacturing and handling costs.

The anchorage system for label holders and shelves which is the subject of the present invention has been developed as a solution to the existing problems affecting the shelf and label-holder sector, mainly those used at shops of any type or size. This system consists of a one-piece label holder designed in such a way that it has a double low two-sheet strip with variable length at the front, where the labels are inserted, and some linear pins at the back for fixing it to the shelf.

The label holder can have an optional small recess at the top end that will allow it to be positioned in either a vertical or a tilted position.

Alternatively, the label holder can be made up of a piece of variable thickness, on whose rear side there are two tilted housings where the linear sections of either front of the shelf will be inserted. These label holders are completed with a transparent laminated section of the same shape located at the front and bottom that covers the whole perimeter of the label holder, in such a way that the labels are inserted between the laminated section and the label holder. This label holder can also be fitted at an angle in relation to the shelf thanks to the inclination of the front side in relation to the vertical anchorage pieces attached to the shelf.

The dimensions of the shelf can vary, and it consists of a single laminated piece that, on one or optionally both of its front ends, has a fold that defines a housing with the shape of a kite tail; the linear pins at the rear of the label holder are inserted into this housing. Conversely, the sections that form the housing with the shape of a kite tail will be inserted into the housings situated at the rear of the optional variable-thickness label holders.

The anchorage system to attach label holders to shelves that is being put forward has the advantage of requiring lower manufacturing and assembling costs and, compared to the existing obsolete models, its modern design is also considered an advantage.

To better understand the subject of the present invention, the preferred optimal assembly is represented in the annexed plan. In this plan:

Figure -1- shows a lateral view of the label holder.
Figure -2- shows a front view of the label holder.
Figure -3- shows an enlarged cross-section of the attachment of the label holder to the shelf where the label holder is tilted.
Figure -4- shows a view similar to the previous one, but the label holder is vertical.
Figure -5- shows a lateral view of a tilted label holder.
Figure -6- shows a front view of the previous figure.
Figure -7- shows an enlarged cross-section of the attachment of the tilted label holder to the shelf.
Figure -8- shows a lateral view of an optional tilted label holder.
Figure -9- shows a front view of the previous figure.
Figure -10- shows an enlarged cross-section of the attachment of the optional tilted label holder to the shelf.
Figure -11- shows a lateral view of the variable-thickness label holder.
Figure -12- shows a front view of the previous figure.
Figure -13- shows an enlarged cross-section of the attachment of the variable-thickness label holder to the shelf.
Figure -14- shows a lateral view of the laminated section that will hold the variable-thickness label holder.
Figure -15- shows a front view of the previous figure.
Figure -16- shows a cross-section of the variable-thickness label holder inserted in the laminated section.
Figure -17- shows a cross-section of the variable-thickness label holder with a different configuration and in a tilted position.
Figure -18- shows the variable-thickness label holder with another configuration in tilted position.

The anchorage system for label holders and shelves being put forward consists of, as can be seen from the figures mentioned above, two basic components: the label holder (1) and the shelf (2).

The label holder (1) has a low two-sheet strip with variable length (3) at the front; the labels are inserted between its sheets, which are joined at the bottom by means of a radial section (4). The outside sheet ends in a longitudinal section (5) with the shape of a small inverted U, and the top end of the inside sheet has a T shape (6) whose inside wing has an angular end (7) slightly tilted upwards. A tilted wall (8) descends from the end of the inside wing of the T (6); a laminated piece with a shape similar to a U, whose vertical sections open outwards (9), is attached to the tilted wall half way up. At the rear of the laminated walls (3), at less than half their height, there is an horizontal laminated section (10) that at a variable distance forms an upward angle (11) and ends in an inward angle. Another small tilted laminated section (12) emerges from the centre of this section (11) and it adopts a horizontal position before it bends downwards and ends with a small radius. For the optional tilted position of the laminated walls (3), there is a small recess (13) in the inside wing of the T (6) at the top of the piece.

The laminated, preferably rectangular, shelf (2) has several folds (14) annexed to one or both fronts. The folds define a housing in the shape of a kite tail (15). The bottom fold (14) is ends horizontally with a small section (16). A detailed description of the rest of the shelf's features is expressly omitted; as they are not the subject of any claim.

Label holder (17) can be an alternative solution to label holder (1): the former does not have the horizontal wall (10) with its rear extensions (11) and (12), and therefore can only be placed in a tilted position.

Another variant is label holder (18), similar to the others except in that the anchorage pins (19) emerge horizontally from the inside laminated wall (3). The ends of the said anchorage pins (19) are angled outwards.

Another alternative to the label holder related to the invention being put forward is the variable-thickness label holder (20) with a vertical front (21), small radius at the ends (22), and a small recess (23) at the rear side. At the top end of the rear side and towards the middle there are some outwards diverging housings (24). The shelf's (2) annexed folds (14) are inserted into these housings. The label holder (20) is complemented by a transparent laminated section (25) situated at the front that ends at the bottom end (23) of the housing.

Another alternative to label holder (20) is label holder (26), similar to the previous one except in that its front wall (27) is tilted in relation to the rear side (28).

Another solution to present the label holder (20) in a tilted position is to fix a laminated piece (29) on to its rear side (28) using screws (30). The said laminated piece (29) is made up of a variable length section with a small section tilted inwards that emerges from the side next to the label holder (20) and a slightly tilted wing that emerges inwards from the bottom end, in such a way that the label holder (20) can be anchored by inserting this piece's (29) wings into the shelf's housing (15).

The way the device is assembled is easily understood: the sections (9) are placed in front of the housing (15) in the shape of a kite tail and then the label holder is pushed against the shelf in order to anchor one component on to the other. Alternatively, the label holder can be inserted into the front of the shelf applying a small, logically frontal, pressure. As for the placement of the labels, it is extremely simple: the section (5) can be lifted at any point using its pins, and then the label can be inserted or removed from the sheets (3).

Now that the nature of this invention and the optimal way to manufacture it have been sufficiently described, it only remains to be said that such description is not restrictive, and that variations are possible without substantially changing the nature of the invention claimed hereunder.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves where the label holders are made up of a band with two laminated walls placed at the front, and of projections and housings placed at the rear that are inserted into the shelves' front. Therefore, the system consists of two components closely related: the label holder -1- and the shelf -2-. The label holder's top end has a T shape -6- whose inside wing has a slightly upward angular end -7-. A laminated wall -8- descends also from this end of the T -6- inside wing. Half way up this wall and attached to it there is a piece similar to a U resting on one side whose vertical sections open outwards. At the rear of the laminated walls -3-, almost half way up, there is a horizontal laminated projection -10- that, at the appropriate distance, is angled upward -11- and ends with an inward angle. A small tilted laminated section -12-emerges from the centre of the said section -11-, and it adopts a horizontal position before bending downwards and ending with a small radius.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that in order to allow a tilted positioning of the laminated walls -3- there is a small recess -13- in the inside wing of the T shape -6- that tops the piece.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that the laminated, preferably rectangular, shelf -2- has folds -14- annexed to one or both fronts. These folds define a housing in the shape of a kite tail(15), and the bottom fold -14- is topped with a small horizontal section (16).

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that label holder -17- can be a variant of label holder -1-, the difference being that the horizontal wall -10- and its rear extensions have been omitted from the rear of the laminated walls -3-.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that the anchorage means of the optional label holder -18- are two pins -19- that emerge horizontally from the rear of the laminated walls and end at an outward angle.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that the label holder can be made up of a variable-thickness body -20-, with a vertical front and a small radius both at the top and at the bottom end, whilst its rear side has a small recess -23- above which there are tilted housings diverging outwards.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that a transparent laminated section -25- is fitted to the front and base -or bottom end- of the label holder -20-, and it continues towards the back until the beginning of the small recess -23-.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that label holder -26- is a variant of label holder -20-. The variant has a front wall -27- that forms an angle in relation to the rear side -28-.

Anchorage system to fix label holders onto shelves as described in the previous claims, characterized in that a way to place a variable-thickness label holder in a tilted position is to attach a laminated piece (29) to its rear side, so that the top and bottom wings of the piece allow it to anchor the label holder (20) to the housings (15) of the shelf (2).