NL2034212B1

NL2034212B1 - Peg hook system and label therefor

Info

Publication number: NL2034212B1
Application number: NL2034212A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Franciscus Julius Kroeze Stijn; Johannes Gerardus Stoop Cornelis
Original assignee: Opticon Sensors Europe B V
Priority date: 2023-02-23
Filing date: 2023-02-23
Publication date: 2024-09-05

Abstract

Peg hook system, comprising: - a peg hook that comprises a carrying area configured to carry products and an entry area configured to allow products to be slid towards and onto the carrying area; - a label that is pivotably arranged at the peg hook to allow the label to be pivoted from a first position, wherein said label is suspended in a substantially upright orientation, to a second position, wherein the label is in a state wherein it is in a substantially flush engagement with the entry area; - wherein the label comprises a label body that forms a housing for a printed circuit board with a receiver, and an electronic display unit that is configured to display product information; and - wherein, in the second position, at least a part of the label body extends into an open space of the entry area.

Description

PEG HOOK SYSTEM AND LABEL THEREFOR

The present invention relates to a peg hook system and to a label of or for such a peg hook system.

Peg hook systems are used to efficiently store products and present the products to consumers. Labels are used to present information with respect to the products on the peg hooks. In particularly in a store setting, the information to be presented on said labels may be susceptible to change, for example if a different product is presented on a respective peg hook, but more in particular if the price of said product changes. Conventionally, the label was a metal plate onto which a sticker with a price tag was arranged. Other types of labels may have a window area where replaceable paper notes can be presented. Replacing price tags with such conventional labels is a very laborious task.

In order to being able to display information in a more appealing and versatile manner, digital labels have been developed. As such labels have to store electrical components and a display, they are more bulky than the conventional labels that comprises a thin metal plate. As a consequence, such digital labels may cause additional handling when products are arranged onto the peg hook, such as pivoting the labels forward and thereby manually bringing said digital label in front of the peg hook and manually aligning the label with an entry area of said peg hook. This is counterintuitive, especially for users that are used to the above mentioned conventional labels of a metal plate. After all, such a metal plate label allowed a user to simply slide a product onto the peg hook, causing the metal plate label to pivot backwards against the entry area. Due to the limited thickness of the metal plate label, the product could easily pass the entry area towards a carrying area of the peg hook.

There is a need for a digital label that provides user comfort and intuitive handling.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a peg hook system, that is improved relative to the prior art and wherein at least one of the above stated problems is obviated or alleviated.

Said objective is achieved with the peg hook system according to claim 1 of the present invention, comprising:

- a peg hook that comprises: a carrying area configured to carry products that are suspendable thereon; and an entry area configured to allow products to be slid over the entry area towards and onto the carrying area; - a label that is pivotably arranged at an end of the peg hook (to allow the label to be pivoted from a first position, wherein said label is suspended in a substantially upright orientation, to a second position, wherein the label is in a state wherein it is in a substantially flush engagement with the entry area to thereby allow products to be simultaneously slid over the label and the entry area towards and onto the carrying area; - wherein the label comprises a label body that forms a housing for a printed circuit board (“PCB”) with a receiver, and an electronic display unit that is configured to display product information; and - wherein, in the second position, at least a part of the label body extends into an open space of the entry area.

Due to the label body partially extending into said open space, the label body is able to define a housing for the printed circuit board with the controller, the receiver, and the electronic display unit that is configured to display product information on the one hand, while also allowing products, in particular products in a blister packaging, to be slid over the entry area of the peg hook with the label pivoted into the second position thereof. This allows for an intuitive way of arranging products onto the peg hook, similar to the way of arranging products a user is used to from conventional peg hooks that lack an electronic display unit. Thus, the peg hook system according to the invention combines the advantages of an electronic display unit of which the displayed information may be updated remotely by virtue of the receiver and controller, while also providing ease of use and intuitive handling.

The invention further relates to a label of or for a peg hook system according to the invention.

Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, and in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, may be an invention in its own right that is related to a different problem relative to the prior art.

In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figures 1A-1B are perspective views of successive steps of arranging products onto a peg hook system according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the peg hook system according to the first preferred embodiment, wherein the label is in a first position wherein it is suspended in a substantially upright orientation;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the peg hook system according to the first preferred embodiment, wherein the label is in a second position, wherein the label is in a state wherein it is in a substantially flush engagement with an entry area of a peg hook;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of Figure 3 from below, with the label in the second position;

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of Figure 4, with the label pivoted away from the entry area;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the first preferred embodiment in the plane VI-VI in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the first preferred embodiment in the plane VII-VII in Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the peg hook system of Figure 3 with a partially transparent housing;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a peg hook system according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, conform Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a peg hook system according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, conform Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of Figure 10 from below, with the label in the second position, conform Figure 4;

Figure 12 is a detailed perspective view of Figure 11, with the label pivoted away from the entry area, conform Figure 5;

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of the first preferred embodiment in the plane XIlI-XIII in Figure 10, conform Figure 6; and

Figure 14 is a cross sectional view of the first preferred embodiment in the plane XIV-XIV in Figure 10, conform Figure 7.

The peg hook system 1 according to the invention comprises a peg hook 2 and a label 6 with an electronic display unit 11 that is configured to display product information. The peg hook 2 comprises a carrying area 4 configured to carry products 5 that are suspendable thereon, and an entry area 8 configured to allow products 5 to be slid over the entry area 8 towards and onto the carrying area 4. The label 6 is pivotably arranged at an end 7 of the peg hook 2 to allow the label 6 to be pivoted from a first position to a second position, and vice versa.

In the first position, the label 8 is suspended in a substantially upright orientation. In this orientation, product information displayed on the label 6 is optimally presented to consumers looking at the peg hook system 1. Such product information may in particular comprise a cost price of the products 5 carried by the respective peg hook 2. The first position is shown in Figs. 1B, 2 for the first preferred embodiment, and in Fig. 9 for the second preferred embodiment.

In the second position, the label 8 is arranged in a state wherein it is in a substantially flush engagement with the entry area 8 to thereby allow products 5 to be simultaneously slid over the label 6 and the entry area 8 towards and onto the carrying area 4, as shown in Figs. 1A and 1C. More in particular, in the second position, the label 6 is arranged in a flush engagement with an underside of the entry area 8. This second position is shown in e.g. Figs. 1A, 1B, 3 and 4 for the first preferred embodiment, and in Fig. 10 and 11 for the second preferred embodiment.

The label 6 comprises a label body 9 that forms a housing 13 for a printed circuit board (“PCB”) 10 with a controller 14, a receiver 15, and an electronic display unit 11 that is configured to display product information. In the second position, at least a part of the label body 9 extends into an open space 12 of the entry area 8.

The receiver 15 is configured to receive a control signal to allow information to be displayed on the electronic display 11 to be updated, for example if other products 5 are stored on the respective peg hook 2, or if pricing information has to be updated.

The electronic display 11 is preferably an e-paper display, and the PCB 10 may further comprise a (not shown) e-paper driver that is an electronic circuit that generates high voltage signals for updating the image on the e-paper display.

Figures 1A-1C show successive steps of placing products 5 on such a peg hook 2. In Figure 1A, a product 5 in a blister packaging is slid over the entry area 8, and in order to allow the opening 19 of the blister packaging of said product 5 to fit, the label 6 is pivoted backwards, i.e. counterclockwise in the shown drawings, into the 5 second position, wherein said label 6 is in a substantially flush engagement with the entry area 8. The product 5 is then slid further until it is carried by the carrying area 4, from which it is suspended. Due to gravity, the label 6 will now automatically pivot back from the second position, clockwise in the shown drawings, to the first position, wherein the label 6 is suspended in a substantially upright orientation. In this orientation, that is shown in Figure 1B, product information displayed on the label 6 is optimally presented to consumers looking at the peg hook system 1. Figure 1C shows how further products 5 may be arranged over the entry area 8 and moved towards the carrying area 4. If a consumer wants to take a product 5 from the peg hook 2, the consumer can simply slide the product 5 from the peg hook 2. The label 6 will automatically pivot, i.e. clockwise in the shown drawing, to allow said product 5 to be removed in the direction the consumer moves the product 5 away from the end 7 of the peg hook 2.

Figures 1-8 show a first preferred embodiment of a peg hook system 1 according to the invention, and Figures 9-14 show a second preferred embodiment of apeg hook system 1 according to the invention. Both embodiments largely correspond to each other, and for reasons of conciseness, mainly the differences will be described.

For example, the principle shown in Figure 1 also applies to the second preferred embodiment. Similar parts of both embodiments are indicated by the same reference numeral.

Figures 2 and 9 show the first position of the label 6 for the first preferred embodiment, and the second preferred embodiment, respectively.

For the first preferred embodiment, the second position of the label 6 is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Similarly, the second position for the second preferred embodiment is shown in Figures 10 and 11. These figures show how the label body 9 of label 6 partially extends into the open space 12, and that the label 6 is arranged in a flush engagement with an underside of the entry area 8. Due to the label body 9 partially extending into said open space 12, the label body 9 is able to define a housing 13 for the printed circuit board (“PCB”) 10 with the controller 14, the receiver 15, and the electronic display unit 11 that is configured to display product information on the one hand, while also allowing products 5 in a blister packaging to be slid over the entry area 8 with the label 6 pivoted backwards, i.e. counterclockwise in the drawings. This allows for an intuitive way of arranging products 5 onto the peg hook 2, similar to the way of arranging products 5 a user is used to from conventional peg hooks 2 that lack an electronic display unit 11. Thus, the peg hook system 1 according to the invention combines the advantages of an electronic display unit 11 of which the displayed information may be updated remotely by virtue of the receiver 15 and controller 14, while also providing ease of use and intuitive handling.

At least the entry area 8 of the peg hook 2 comprises two substantially parallel legs 3 that are arranged at an offset 16. The open space 12 is arranged in said offset 16. In both shown embodiments, the two substantially parallel legs 3 extend over the entry area 8, and also the carrying area 4.

As can be best seen in the cross sectional views of Figs. 7 (first embodiment) and 14 (second embodiment), the PCB 10 is arranged in a first section 17 of the label body 9 that is smaller than the open space 12 to allow said first section 17 to extend into the open space 12 when said label 6 is pivoted into the second position. The width of the open space 12 is defined by the offset 16.

Figs. 7 and 14 also show that the electronic display unit 11 is arranged in a second section 18 of the label body 9 that has a width that is larger than the open space 12 and smaller than 110% of a total width of the peg hook 2. The width of the peg hook 2 is defined in the same direction as the offset 16 between the substantially parallel legs 3, i.e. the width is orientated transverse to the longitudinal direction of the substantially parallel legs 3.

The width of the second section 18 of the label body 9, that forms the housing part for the electronic display unit 11, is smaller than or equal to the total width of the peg hook 2. This can be best seen for the first preferred embodiment in Figures 4 and 5, and for the second preferred embodiment in Figures 11 and 12. Especially

Figures 5 and 12 also show how the dimensions of the first section 17 and the second section 18 differ.

The total width of the peg hook 2 is predetermined to allow the products 5 to be carried, that are typically packed in a blister packaging with a standardized opening, to be easily slid over the peg hook 2. Of course, the skilled person will be able to easily adapt the principle of the invention to openings of any size, that may differ slightly for different markets, e.g. between Europa and the USA, or Asian markets. However, in order to elucidate the invention, reference is made to the dimensions of the main slot 19 of such an opening of a blister packaging exhibiting a length of 32 mm and a height of 6 mm, that are common dimensions in Europe.

Although the width of the second section 18 of the label body 8 that houses the electronic display unit 11 may be slightly larger than the width of the peg hook 2, an easy sliding of products 5 over the peg hook 2 is guaranteed if the width of the second section 18 of the label body 9 that houses the electronic display unit 11 is smaller than or equal to the total width of the peg hook 2.

The label body 9 has a length (L) defining a length direction (I), a width (W) defining a width direction (w) and a height (H) defining a height direction (h) of said label 8. In the shown embodiments, the first section 17 has a height in the range of 1,5-5 mm, and/or the second section 18 has a height in the range of 1-3 mm.

Preferably, the total height (H) of the label body 9 defined by the sum of the height of the first section 17 and the height of the second section 18 is in the range of 3-6 mm, preferably in the range of 3-5,5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 3-5 mm.

As shown in Figures 5 and 12, the entry area 8 of the shown embodiments comprises one or more than one recess 20 configured to receive the second section 18 of the label body 9 when the label 6 is pivoted into the second position, i.e. into the state wherein it is in the substantially flush engagement with the entry area 8. As can be best seen in Figs. 5 and 12, the one or more than one recess 20 may be arranged in at least one of the substantially parallel legs 3.

The entry area 8 of the peg hook 2 comprises a U-shaped end portion 21. In both shown embodiments, the label 8 is pivotably arranged at a base portion 22 of the U-shaped end portion 21.

Preferably, the substantially parallel legs 3 and the U-shaped end portion 21 are made from a continuous electrically conductive material, preferably from a continuous metal wire. This allows electricity to be conducted via the substantially parallel legs 3, and thereby provides a robust and simple design.

A plane defined by the entry area 8 encloses an acute angle a relative to a plane 23 defined by the carrying area 4 to allow the entry area 8 to be directed upward during use. In other words, the substantially parallel legs 3 of the peg hook 2 are bend to define an upward inclination of the end portion 21 relative to an imaginary plane 23 defined by the carrying area 4 (Figs. 6 and 13). In this way, it is prevented that products 5 may easily slide off of the peg hook 2.

In order to power the electric components inside the label body 9, such as the controller 14, the receiver 15, and the electronic display unit 11, the PCB 10 is connected or connectable to a power source 24 outside the label body 9. Firstly, because the power source is arranged outside the label body 9, the label body 9 may be relatively small while still providing sufficient space for housing the PCB 10, the controller 14, the receiver 15, and the electronic display unit 11. Secondly, the power source 24 is not required to fit in the limited dimension of the label body 9, and consequently it is possible to use a power source 24 with a larger electrical capacity than would be possible if the power source would e.g. be a small battery that had to be stored inside the label body 9. In this way, the peg hook system 1 guarantees that the electronic components inside the label 6 have an operating time that allows them to be used for multiple months, even for more than a year, before the power source 24 needs to be replaced or recharged. Especially in a store having a large amount of such peg hook systems 1, replacing of recharging the power source 24 may be a laborious task that is preferably only required at large time intervals.

According to the first preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the power source 24 is arranged in a housing 25 that is arranged in the carrying area 4. The power source 24 may comprise one or more than one battery that is arrangeable in a battery compartment 26. If a rechargeable battery is used, the housing 25 may be provided with a (not shown) part that is connectable with a power cable for periodically recharging the battery 36. In the shown first embodiment, the substantially parallel legs 3 also extend in the carrying area 4 of the peg hook 2, and the housing 25 of the power source 24 is arranged between the substantially parallel legs 3.

According to the second preferred embodiment of the peg hook system 1, the peg hook 2 is configured to be arranged to a (not shown) support, in particular to a pegboard or a wall, and the power source may be arranged at the support. In Fig. 13 this is schematically indicated with a dashed line at the end of the parallel legs 3 (i.e. at the right side in Fig. 13). If the power source 24 is arranged in the support, there is no need to periodically recharge or replace individual labels 6, thereby improving user comfort.

Although it is conceivable that additional wiring is provided to connect the power source 24 and the PCB 10 in the label 6, a particularly robust and elegant embodiment is provided if the construction of the peg hook 2 itself, more in particular the substantially parallel legs 3 thereof, defines the electrical circuit. For this reason, the substantially parallel legs 3 are preferably electrically conductive and define an electric circuit from the power source 24 to the label 8. Optionally, as also shown in

Fig. 8, an electrical wire 27 may form part of the electrical circuit connecting the power source 24 and the PCB 10 in the label 6.

A pivotable contact between the label 8 and the U-shaped end portion 21 of the electrically conductive parallel legs 3 forms an electrical contact between the label 6 and the peg hook 2.

Although they show preferred embodiments of the invention, the above described embodiments are intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it is particularly noted that the skilled person can combine technical measures of the different embodiments. The scope of protection is defined solely by the following claims.

Claims

CONCLUSIONS

1. A hook system comprising: - a hook comprising: a support member adapted to support products which can be hung thereon; and an access member adapted to enable products to be slid over the access member to and onto the support member; - a label pivotally mounted on one end of the hook to enable the label to be pivoted from a first position, in which the label is suspended in a substantially upright orientation, to a second position, in which the label is in a condition in which it is in substantially flush contact with the access member so as to enable products to be slid simultaneously over the label and the access member to and onto the support member; - the label comprising a label body housing a printed circuit board (“PCB”) having a controller and a receiver, and an electronic display unit adapted to display product information; and - at least a portion of the label body extends in the second position into an open space of the access member.

2. Hook system according to claim 1, wherein at least the access part of the hook comprises two substantially parallel legs which are arranged at a distance from each other, the open space being provided within this distance.

3. The hook system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the printed circuit board is disposed in a first portion of the label body that is smaller than the open space to allow the first portion to extend into the open space when the label is hinged to the second position.

4. A hook system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic display unit is arranged in a second part of the label body having a width greater than the open space and less than 110% of a total width of the hook.

5. The hook system of claim 4, wherein the width of the second portion of the label body, which forms a housing portion for the electronic display unit, is less than or equal to the total width of the hook.

6. Hook system according to claim 4 or 5, in dependence on at least claim 3, wherein the label body has a length (L) defining a length direction (|), a width (W) defining a width direction (w), and a height (H) defining a height direction (h) of the label, and at least one of: - the first part has a height in the range of 1.5-5 mm; - the second part has a height in the range of 1-3 mm; - the total height (H) of the label body defined by the sum of the height of the first part and the height of the second part is in the range of 3-6 mm, preferably in the range of 3-5.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 3-5 mm.

7. A hook system according to any one or more of claims 4 to 6, wherein the access portion comprises one or more recesses adapted to receive the second portion of the label body when the label is hinged into the second position in which it is in flush contact with the access portion.

8. Hook system according to claim 7, wherein the one or more recesses are provided in at least one of the substantially parallel legs.

9. Hook system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the access part of the hook comprises a U-shaped end part.

10. Hook system according to claim 9, wherein the label is hingedly mounted to a base portion of the U-shaped end portion.

11. Hook system according to claim 9 or 10, depending on at least claim 2, wherein the substantially parallel legs and the U-shaped end portion are made of a continuous electrically conductive material, preferably of a continuous metal wire.

12. A hook system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the printed circuit board is connected or connectable to a power source located outside the label body.

13. Hook system according to claim 12, wherein the power source is arranged in a housing arranged in the support part.

14. Hook system according to claim 12, wherein: - the hook is adapted to be attached to a support, in particular to a pegboard or a wall; and - the power source is attached to the support.

15. A hook system as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the substantially parallel legs are electrically conductive and define an electrical circuit from the power source to the tag.

16. Hook system according to claim 15, in dependence on at least claim 10, wherein a hinged contact between the label and the U-shaped end portion of the electrically conductive parallel legs forms an electrical contact between the label and the hook.

17. Label of or for a hook system according to one or more of claims 1 to 16.