US3084463A

US3084463A - Lighted shelf strip

Info

Publication number: US3084463A
Application number: US50184A
Authority: US
Inventors: Guyer Reynolds; Lake White Bear; Delmar R Neitzel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-08-17
Filing date: 1960-08-17
Publication date: 1963-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-09

Description

April 9, 1963 R. GUYER ETAL LIGHTED SHELF STRIP Filed Aug. 17. 1960 REYN DELMAR INVENTORS S G R BY L ATTORNEY 3,0MA63 LIGHTED SHELF STRIP Reynolds Guyer, White Bear Lake, and Delmar R. Neitzel, t. Louis karir, Minn; said Neitzel assignor to Reynolds Euyer, doing business as Reynolds Guyer Agency of Design, St. Paul, Minn.

Filed Aug. 1'7, 196%, Ser. No. 59,184

Claims. ((Jl. 40-132) This invention relates to an improvement in lighted shelf strip and deals particularly with a display strip which may be attached to the standard price strip molding commonly used on the edges of shelving in supermarkets and the like in order to provide a lighted display for use with a predetermined product. The display shelves on which merchandise is being displayed in supermarkets and the like are normally provided along their outer edges with an extruded strip of aluminum or similiar material designed to accommodate flexible numerals and symbols to indicate the price of a product. This molding is provided with forwardly projecting hook shaped portions between which the price indications may be inserted. It is a feature of the present invention to provide an elongated shelf strip which fits into this price strip molding and which is designed to contain a plurality of lights or one or more elongated fluorescent bulbs. This shelf strip is merely clipped into place, and the lights are plugged into an electrical outlet to form an illuminated display.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shelf strip which is in the form of an elongated extrusion of translucent plastic or similar material which is generally in the form of a slit tube. The portions of the tube on opposite sides of the slit are for-med outwardly to extend into interlocking relation with the hook shaped projections on the price tag molding which supports the translucent housing in a position. The extrusion is box shaped in cross section and preferably includes a flat front side which is also provided with opposed hook shaped projecting lips. A transparent or translucent sign advertising a particular product may be engaged between these hook shaped lips from illumination from within the extruded housing.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an insertable lighting fixture which comprises merely an elongated supporting strip having light sockets arranged in intervals thereon connected by suitable wiring. The ends of the supporting strip are connected to a pair of end plates which generally follow the contour of the inner surface of the hollow extrusion. ln assembling the device, it is only necessary to insert this supporting strip within the hollow extrusion after or before the extrusion is attached to the price tag molding. The cross members support the light supporting strip and form end closures for the hollow body.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a strip sign of the type described which is preferably formed of extruded plastic or the like and which is sufliciently resilient so that it can be flexed into position in engagement with the price tag molding. A set screw type of device is provided designed to extend between opposite sides of the housing on opposite sides of the split portion thereof and which may be used to spread the ends of the extrusion apart to hold it hooked into place.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one end of the strips, showing the construction thereof.

EfihindfiE Patented Apr. 9, 1953 FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the insertable lighting fixture which is used in the interior of the outer casing.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the casing of the sign.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of a portion of a shelf with the strip sign in place thereupon.

The lighted shelf strip is indicated in general by the letter A, and may be made of any desired length. The sign A is used in conjunction with a shelf B of the type used to display goods in a supermarket or the like. T he shelf B is provided with a price tab molding ill extending along its outer edge and into which price tag cards may be inserted to indicate the price of the wares being displayed. The molding ltl includes a strip 11 which extends substantially the height of the shelf board 12 and the'molding includes oppositely directed'upper

flanges

13 and 14, and similar opposed oppositely directed lower flanges l5 and 16. The hook shaped

flanges

13 and 15 are designed to overlie portions of the edge of the shelf board 12 while the outwardly directed

flanges

14 and 16 form opposed grooves 17 and 19 which are normally designed to engage the upper and lower edges of price tags.

The sign A is formed preferably of translucent or transparent plastic and is preferably an extruded end closure which may be cut in desired lengths. The enclosure is generally shaped as indicated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, including a substantially flat front panel 2t) which is connected along its lower edge to a substantially flat bottom panel 21. The upper edge of the panel 20 is connected to a flat or slightly rounded top panel 22. A flange 23 extends in right angular relation to the top panel 22 and terminates in a reversely turned hook flange 24-. The bottom panel 21 is connected to an angularly extending flange 25 which terminates in a reversely and outwardly extending hook flange 26. The hook flanges 2 and 26 are directed outwardly and are normally spaced apart a distance which is substantially greater than the distance between the bases of the grooves 17 and 19 of the molding 18. As a result when the flanges 24 and 2-6 are engaged in the grooves 17 and '19 of the molding, the enclosure is securely attached to the molding due to the normal tendency of the enclosure to return to its normal spread position. Obviously, the housing is made of material sufficiently resilient to permit the

flanges

24 and 26 to be drawn together sufficiently to be engaged in the grooves 17 and 19.

A hook shaped projection 27 extends forwardly from the juncture between the front panel 20 and the top panel 2.2, and an opposed hook shaped flange 29 extends forwardly and upwardly from the juncture between the front panel 2t? and the bottom panel 21. These

flanges

27 and 29 form grooves 3t and 31 to receive a sign 32. of any suitable type. The sign 32 is preferably sufficiently transparent or translucent so that light may shine through the Wall 2d of the housing and through the sign, the sign containing indicia 33 of any desired nature which may be printed in opaque ink or the like on the face of the sign. Alternatively, this arrangement may be reversed so that the major portion of the sign is onadue. and the indicia is transparent.

An insertable lighting fixture indicated in general by the numeral 32 and illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawing is positioned within the outer enclosure which is indicated in general by the numeral 33. The insert 32 comprises an elongated supporting strip 38 of any desired material and which may be channel shaped in cross section with the base of the channel designed to extend vertically. The strip 38 supports a series of longitudinally spaced sockets 34 designed to accommodate light bulbs 35. Conductors such as 36 connect the various 3 sockets 34 to provide current for illuminating the bulbs 35, the conductor 36 normally comprising a pair of wires connected to the socket terminals, the conductor extending through a circuit breaker 37 to a plug 39' which may be plugged into any electrical outlet.

The ends 46 of the strip 38 are bent at right angles and are secured in face contact with a pair of end plates 41 which are designed to fit within the translucent enclosure 33 and which are designed to form end closure for the outer enclosure. The plates 41 are secured to the strip ends by rivets 42, spot Welding or by any other suitable means. The entire insertable unit 32 is of slightly shorter length than the outer enclosure 33 so that the end plates 41 are slightly recessed into the ends of the enclosure.

An adjustable spreader which is indicated in general by the numeral 43 may be used to hold the ends of the enclosure $3 spread apart so that the

flanges

24 and 26 cannot become accidentally disengaged from the molding 10. In the form illustrated, the spreader includes a generally U-shaped metal clip 44 which is designed to slip over an end of the bottom panel 21 of the enclosure '33. A pin 45 having a threaded portion 46 is threaded through the U-shaped clip 44. The panel 21 is provided with an opening or a notch designed to accommodate the threaded shank 46, and a thumb nut 47 is provided on the lower end of the pin.

When the enclosure 33 is properly engaged in the notches 17 and 19 of the molding 19, th U-shaped clip may be inserted over each end of the bottom panel 21, and the pin may be inserted through the threaded opening 49 in the clip and through the corresponding opening in the panel 21, not illustrated in the drawings. By tightening the pin 45 against the top panel 22 of the enclosure 33', the

panels

21 and 22 maybe positively held in fixed spaced relation so that the

flanges

24 and 26 cannot be sprung toward one another sufliciently to permit disengagement of the housing from the molding 19. By loosening the pin 45 out of contact with the top panel 22, the

flanges

24 and 26 may again be sprung toward one another when the sign is to b disengaged.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of construction and operation of our improvement in lighted shelf strip, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. A lighted shelf strip for use in combination with a price tag molding, the molding including a strip having parallel flanges forming opposed inwardly opening grooves adapted to receive opposite edges of price cards and the like, the shelf strip including,

an elongated housing of resilient translucent material and including, in series, an upper rear wall panel, top panel, a front panel, a bottom panel and a lower rear Wall panel,

rearwardly extending reversely turned flanges on the edges of said upper and lower rear wall panels,

said reversely turned flanges being normally spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the distance between the grooves of said molding,

said housing front panel having integral opposed hookshaped parallel flanges thereon near the upper and lower edges thereof defining a pair of opposed inwardly opening grooves,

said last named grooves being spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the distance between said grooves of said molding,

an illuminating means in said housing including an elongated support upon which spaced light supporting sockets are mounted, and

end plates on the ends of said elongated support forming end closures, said plates being slidable longitudinaily of said housing.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including expansi'ole means extending between said top and bottom panels and operable for holding said reversely turned flanges engaged in the grooves in said molding.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which said bottom panel is Wider than said top panel, and said front panel inclines upwardly and rearwardly when said housing is in place.

4. The structure of claim 1 and in which said illuminating means is shorter than said housing, and

expansible and contractable means extending between said bottom panel and said top panel to hold said panels from flexing inwardly,

said expansible and contractable means being outwardly of said end plates and serving the additional purpose of holding said illuminating means in said housing.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which said expansible and contractable means comprises a U-shaped clip embracing a portion of the end of one of said top and bottom panels,

the sides of said U-shaped clip having aligned apertures therethrough normal to the surface thereof, at least one of which is threaded, and

a threaded rod extending through said apertures to extend across the end of said housing to engage the other of said top and bottom panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 775,294 Clark Nov. 22, 1904 1,609,621 Gatchell Dec. 7, 1926 2,337,685 Schepmoes Dec. 28, 1943 2,527,679 Krueger Oct. 31, 1950 2,607,144 Harris Aug. 12, 1952 2,857,696 Barrow Oct. 28, 1958 2,924,902 Luck et al. Feb. 16, 1960 3,015,177 Hembd Jan. 2, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,052 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1899 64,246 France May 25, 1955

Claims

1. A LIGHTED SHELF STRIP FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH A PRICE TAG MOLDING, THE MOLDING INCLUDING A STRIP HAVING PARALLEL FLANGES FORMING OPPOSED INWARDLY OPENING GROOVES ADAPTED TO RECEIVE OPPOSITE EDGES OF PRICE CARDS AND THE LIKE, THE SHELF STRIP INCLUDING, AN ELONGATED HOUSING OF RESILIENT TRANSLUCENT MATERIAL AND INCLUDING, IN SERIES, AN UPPER REAR WALL PANEL, TOP PANEL, A FRONT PANEL, A BOTTOM PANEL AND A LOWER REAR WALL PANEL, REARWARDLY EXTENDING REVERSELY TURNED FLANGES ON THE EDGES OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER REAR WALL PANELS, SAID REVERSELY TURNED FLANGES BEING NORMALLY SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GROOVES OF SAID MOLDING, SAID HOUSING FRONT PANEL HAVING INTEGRAL OPPOSED HOOKSHAPED PARALLEL FLANGES THEREON NEAR THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES THEREOF DEFINING A PAIR OF OPPOSED INWARDLY OPENING GROOVES, SAID LAST NAMED GROOVES BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID GROOVES OF SAID MOLDING, AN ILLUMINATING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING INCLUDING AN ELONGATED SUPPORT UPON WHICH SPACED LIGHT SUPPORTING SOCKETS ARE MOUNTED, AND END PLATES ON THE ENDS OF SAID ELONGATED SUPPORT FORMING END CLOSURES, SAID PLATES BEING SLIDABLE LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID HOUSING.