Modular label track system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018168366-A1
Application number	US-201715848769-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 21, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shelf label system for organization of products according to a modular plan identifies product information on a retail store shelf. It retains original location and product information. The system comprises at least one elongated shelf label track attached to a front face of the retail store shelf, a plurality of label holders, each fitting within and able to move along a length of the shelf label track. Each label holder has a hinged panel that can be folded such that only a first face of the hinged panel is visible. In an open position, a face of the main panel and a second face of the hinged panel are visible. In an alternative embodiment, the label holders are allowed to move along the slot but can only flip over in the cutouts. A locking cover may be implemented to prevent unauthorized persons from modifying the labels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shelf label system for modular product organization that identifies product information on a retail store shelf comprising:
at least one elongated shelf label track attached to a front face of the retail store shelf; a plurality of label holders, each fitting within and able to move along a length of the shelf label track, each shelf label holder associated with a modular space on the retail store shelf and comprising:
a main panel which is slidingly connected to the shelf label track;
a hinged panel which is pivotally connected to the main panel, which can be folded in a closed position covering the main panel such that only a first face of the hinged panel is visible; and an open position opened away from the main panel, such that a face of the main panel and a second face of the hinged panel are visible.

2 . The shelf label system of claim 1 wherein the hinged panel is associated with a product and is adapted to be folded into a closed position and the first face of hinged panel has information about the product, when a product is in stock and available.

3 . The shelf label system of claim 1 wherein the hinged panel is unfolded into its open position and the second face of hinged panel is visible and indicates that the product is unavailable, when a product is not available.

4 . The shelf label system of claim 3 wherein the main panel is visible and has information on a temporary product that is in a location previously filled by the unavailable product.

5 . The shelf label system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of label holders has a fixed sequential order along the shelf label track and cannot change their sequential order along the shelf label track.

6 . The shelf label system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of label holders can be moved to be adjacent to a modular space with which it is associated.

7 . The shelf label system of claim 1 , wherein the shelf label track is marked to identify locations to position label holders.

8 . The shelf label system of claim 1 , wherein the shelf label track is marked to identify positions of the modular spaces.

9 . A method of displaying labels for products on retail shelves arranged in a modular fashion, comprising the steps of:
providing an elongated shelf label track which is mounted on a front face of a retail shelf, extending past a plurality of modular spaces; slidingly attaching to the shelf label track a plurality of label holders that may be in a closed position exposing a first face of a hinged panel or be in an open position, exposing a second face of the hinged panel and the face of the main panel; stocking products each at a designated modular space; positioning label holders adjacent to a plurality of modular spaces; attaching a label to a first face of the hinged panels having product labeling information relating to the adjacent product; when there is no longer any of the product in a modular space, then:
stocking an empty modular space with a temporary product for a temporary period of time;
opening the label holders at the modular space of the temporary product to an open position to hide the first face of the hinged panel, expose a second face of the hinged panel and the face of the main panel;
attaching an indication to one of the exposed second face of the hinged panel and the face of the main panel that the product located at the modular space is temporarily unavailable.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:
attaching a label to one of the exposed second face of the hinged panel and the face of the main panel, having labeling information about the temporary product.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of slidingly attaching to the shelf label track a plurality of label holders comprises the step of:
slidingly attaching to the shelf label track, a plurality of label holders in a specific sequence that cannot change their relative sequential order.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of providing an elongated shelf label track comprises the step of:
providing an elongated shelf label track that is marked to identify locations of the label holders in their normal positions.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of providing an elongated shelf label track comprises the step of:
providing an elongated shelf label track that is marked to identify the positions of the modular spaces in their normal positions.

14 . A shelf label system for modular product organization that identifies information of products comprising:
a retail shelf that is divided into a plurality of modular spaces;
at least one elongated shelf label conduit attached to a front face of at least one retail shelf, the shelf label conduit having a lengthwise slot and enlarged cutouts;
a plurality of label holders each comprising:
a head within the shelf label conduit and able to move along a length of the shelf label track, each label holder associated with and positioned adjacent to a modular space on the retail shelf;
a flattened neck coupled to the head having a thickness allowing it to extend and slide through slot;
a panel coupled to the neck having a first face adapted to display information of a product located in an adjacent modular space, and a second face adapted to display information indicating that the product is unavailable when there are no products in modular space;
wherein the head, neck and cutouts are sized and shaped to allow the panel to flip to change between a ‘normal position’ of the first face being outward and visible and a ‘product unavailable position’ in which the second face is outward and visible when the label holder is positioned within a cutout.

15 . The shelf label system of claim 14 wherein the label holder associated with a product in a modular space is in a ‘normal position’ with the first face being visible and having information about the product, when the product is in stock and available.

16 . The shelf label system of claim 14 wherein the label holder associated with a product in a modular space is in a ‘product unavailable position’ with the second face being visible and having information indicating that the product is unavailable, when a product is not available.

17 . The shelf label system of claim 16 wherein the second face is visible and has information on a temporary product that is in the modular space previously occupied by the currently unavailable product.

18 . The shelf label system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of label holders are inserted into the shelf label conduit in a specific order matching the order of the modular spaces, and the label holders cannot change their sequential order.

19 . The shelf label system of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of label holders can be moved to be adjacent to an associated modular space if the modular space changes position on the store shelf.

20 . The shelf label system of claim 14 further comprising a locking cover fitting over the slot of the shelf label conduit preventing the label holders from moving along the shelf label conduit or flipping between the ‘normal position’ and the ‘product unavailable position’.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Bryan Greg
• Taylor Robert James

Classifications

• G09F3/208

  Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays · CPC title

• G09F3/204

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

• A47F5/0068 Primary

  Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail · CPC title

• A47F5/0869

  Accessories for article-supporting brackets, e.g. price- indicating means, not covered by a single one of groups A47F5/08 (pushing means therefor A47F1/128) · CPC title

• G09F3/201

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