Label holder for coupling electronic labels to containers and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10593236-B1
Application number	US-201916548169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 22, 2019
Priority date	Aug 24, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

In some embodiments, a label holder for retaining an electronic product label and detachably coupling to a product container includes rear panel, a top panel and a bottom panel each movably attached to the rear panel and extending in a forward direction relative to the rear panel, and at least one container-gripping panel attached to the rear panel and extending from the rear panel. The rear panel, the top panel, and the bottom panel together define a channel therebetween configured to slidably receive and retain an electronic product label. The container-gripping panel includes a plurality of projections extending therefrom and configured to grip at least one wall of the product container to detachably couple the label holder to the product container. Methods of detachably attaching the label holder to the product container and methods of uncoupling the label holder from the product container are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A label holder for retaining an electronic product label and detachably coupling to a product container, the label holder comprising:
a rear panel;
a top panel and a bottom panel each attached to the rear panel and extending in a forward direction relative to the rear panel; and
at least one container-gripping panel movably attached relative to the rear panel and extending from the rear panel;
wherein the rear panel, the top panel, and the bottom panel together define a channel therebetween configured to slidably receive and retain an electronic product label; and
wherein the container-gripping panel includes a plurality of projections extending therefrom and configured to grip at least one wall of the product container to detachably couple the label holder to the product container.

2. The label holder of claim 1 ,
wherein the top panel includes a flange extending downwardly therefrom, the flange of the top panel having a distal end;
wherein the bottom panel includes a flange extending upwardly therefrom, the flange of the bottom panel having a distal end; and
wherein the distal end of the flange of the top panel and the distal end of the flange of the bottom panel are spaced apart to define a space therebetween configured to permit a front face of the electronic product label to be visible therethrough.

3. The label holder of claim 2 , wherein the flange of the top panel and the flange of the bottom panel restrict the electronic product label from being removed from the channel through the space between the distal end of the flange of the top panel and the distal end of the flange of the bottom panel in a forward direction relative to the rear panel.

4. The label holder of claim 1 ,
wherein the channel includes a top step at an intersection of the rear panel and the top panel, and a bottom step at an intersection of the rear panel and the bottom panel; and
wherein the channel has a maximum height between the top and bottom panels and a reduced height between the top step and the bottom step.

5. The label holder of claim 1 , wherein the projections are oriented in at least a first row and a second row, the first row being closer than then second row to a rearward-facing surface of the rear panel.

6. The label holder of claim 1 , wherein each of the projections includes a plurality of facets that converge from their respective bases to form a sharpened peak at a distal end of each of the projections.

7. The label holder of claim 6 , wherein the sharpened peak of each of the projections is located outside of a perimeter defined by the respective bases of the facets.

8. The label holder of claim 1 , wherein the container-gripping panel includes:
a first container-gripping portion including a plurality of the projections extending therefrom and configured to grip a top wall of the product container when the label holder is detachably coupled to the product container; and
a second container-gripping portion including a plurality of the projections extending therefrom and configured to grip a side wall of the product container when the label holder is detachably coupled to the product container.

9. The label holder of claim 8 ,
wherein each of the projections of the first container-gripping portion includes:
a first side facet oriented at an angle that is less than 90 degrees relative to a downward-facing surface of the first container-gripping portion from which the projections extend; and
a second side facet oriented at an angle that is greater than 90 degrees relative to an downward-facing surface of the first container-gripping portion; and

wherein each of the projections of the second container-gripping portion includes:
an upward-facing facet oriented at an angle that is less than 90 degrees relative to an interior-facing surface of the second container-gripping portion from which the projections extend; and
a downward-facing facet oriented at an angle that is greater than 90 degrees relative to the interior-facing surface of the second container-gripping portion.

10. The label holder of claim 8 , wherein the first container-gripping portion and the second gripping portion are movable relative to the rear panel of the label holder and are biased for movement in a direction toward each other.

11. The label holder of claim 1 , wherein the rear panel further comprises a plurality of projections extending from a rearward-facing surface of the rear panel and configured to grip a front wall of the product container when the label holder is detachably coupled to the product container.

12. The label holder of claim 11 , wherein each of the projections extending from the rearward-facing surface of the rear panel includes a plurality of facets that converge from their respective bases to form a sharpened peak at a distal end thereof.

13. The label holder of claim 12 , wherein each of the facets is oriented at a substantially identical angle relative to the rearward-facing surface of the rear panel, each of the substantially identical angles being greater than 90 degrees.

14. The label holder of claim 13 , wherein the sharpened peak of each of the projections extending from the rearward-facing surface of the rear panel is located within a perimeter defined by the respective bases of the facets.

15. The label holder of claim 11 ,
wherein each of the projections extending from the container-gripping panel includes a forward-facing facet oriented at an angle that is less than 90 degrees relative to a bottom-facing surface of the container-gripping panel; and
wherein each of the projections extending from the container-gripping panel includes a rearward-facing facet oriented at an angle that is greater than 90 degrees relative to an downward-facing surface of the container-gripping panel; and
wherein the sharpened peak of each of the projections is located closer to the rearward-facing surface of the rear panel than each of a base of the forward-facing facet and a base of the rearward-facing facet.

16. The label holder of claim 11 ,
wherein the top panel is oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the rear panel and generally parallel to the bottom panel; and
wherein the container-gripping panel extends from the rearward-facing surface of the rear panel with a downwardly-oriented slope such that the container-gripping panel is not perpendicular to the rear panel or parallel to the top and bottom panels.

17. The label holder of claim 1 , further in combination with an electronic product label.

18. A method of detachably attaching the label holder of claim 1 to the product container, the method comprising,
slidably inserting the electronic label into the channel such that the electronic label is retained in the channel; and
bringing the label holder having the electronic label retained in the channel thereof into proximity to the product container until the projections of the container-gripping panel grip the at least one wall of the product container to detachably couple the label holder to the product container.

19. The method of claim 18 ,
wherein the rear panel further comprises a plurality of projections extending from a rearward-facing surface of the rear panel and configured to grip a front wall of the product container; and
wherein the bringing step further comprises bringing the label holder having the electronic label retained in the channel thereof into proximity to the product container until the projections of the container-gripping panel grip the front wall of the product con

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Bacallao Yurgis M
• Bellar Jason D
• High Donald R

Classifications

• G09F2003/0272

  Labels for containers · CPC title

• G09F3/208 Primary

  Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays · CPC title

• G09F3/204

  specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like · CPC title

• G09F3/12

  by pins, staples, or the like · CPC title

• G09F3/201

  Enclosures enveloping completely the labels (G09F3/203 - G09F3/207 take precedence) · CPC title