JPS6329744B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a shelf label for displaying prices that utilizes the memory properties and electromotive force of an electrochromic display.

In recent years, with the intensification of sales competition at retail stores such as supermarkets, in extreme cases the price of a single product may fluctuate several times a day, and the price display must be changed each time.

On the other hand, due to these circumstances, a system called a POS system that mechanically performs the function of a cash register has been developed. This system optically reads barcode marks printed on each product, recognizes the product, calculates prices, and manages inventory.

In this system, the barcode mark remains constant even if the price fluctuates, and the fluctuating price can be input separately into the computer.

However, since the mark used for this product is a product number rather than alphabets or Arabic numerals, it is not possible to directly inform consumers of the current price from the mark. Therefore, in order to inform consumers of prices that fluctuate from time to time, it is necessary to display prices in addition to the POS system mark.

The present invention was invented in view of the above circumstances, and relates to a shelf label for displaying prices that utilizes the memory properties of electrochromic displays, consumes less power, and can be linked with a POS system.

That is, unlike conventional electrochromic display devices (hereinafter simply referred to as ECDs), the present invention does not use an electrolyte solution at all;
One of the features of this system is that it uses an ECD that does not require any measures against liquid leakage like an ECD, and is not bulky and is so thin that it can be called a "tag." Specifically, at least four layers are laminated in this order: a front transparent electrode, an electrochromic layer (hereinafter simply referred to as an EC layer), a solid electrolyte layer formed by printing or coating ink, and a back counter electrode. It consists of a display part consisting of a display part, a drive circuit for applying input/output voltage for display, and a terminal part formed so that it can be connected and removed.The display has memory and rewriting characteristics and can be input to an external device (for example, a POS system). This is a price display shelf label characterized by having a back electromotive force.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of numeric characters 1 can represent the price, and characters or symbols 2 can represent the summary, properties, product name, etc. A 7-segment system is generally suitable for displaying numbers 1, and any numerical value can be variably displayed using this 7-segment system. Another display method can be a dot matrix,
Alternatively, for displays such as "yen", "¥", "bargain item", and "advertisement item" that are particularly frequently used, a display electrode may be configured for such display and the display state and erased state may be used separately. .

Displays that do not need to be changed are displayed by normal printing and are set as fixed display 3. In addition, what is represented by a large number of rod shapes as 4 in the figure is the electrode terminal part of the ECD, and it can be detachably attached to the electrode terminal of the drive circuit that applies input and output voltage for display. It consists of a large number of conductive metal pins.

The schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 shows an example of a price display shelf label according to the present invention. However, on the opposite side, a front transparent electrode 6 is
Although it is not clear in the figure, depending on the display pattern, 7
A thin film is formed in the shape of a segment or letter, and is made of indium oxide, tin oxide, gold, or the like using a thin film forming method such as a vacuum evaporation method. A thin EC layer 7 of a transition metal oxide such as tungsten oxide (WO ₃ ) is formed on the display portion above the front transparent electrode 6 by means such as vacuum evaporation. In addition to WO ₃ , vanadium pentoxide (V ₂ O ₅ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), etc. are promising transition metal oxides that can be used for this EC layer ₇ . Colorless (white) to blue, V ₂ O ₅ from pale yellow to gray-green, and TiO ₂ from colorless to gray-green.

Next, an insulating layer 8 for preventing current loss is laminated on the non-display portion where the EC layer 7 is not applied. For example, an insulating resin, an insulating tape, or a thin film of silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ) can be used.

Next, a solid electrolyte layer 9 is formed by printing, coating, or the like. The main components of the electrolyte layer 9 are solid electrolyte powders capable of releasing protons, such as titanic acid, stannic acid, antimonic acid, zirconic acid, niobic acid, tantalic acid, and silicic acid, either singly or in a mixture. It may be applied by adding a small amount (30% by weight or less) of alcohol or synthetic resin emulsion and kneading it to form an ink, or by a method such as screen printing.

An example of the composition of such an ink is shown below.

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( Metastannic acid ( manufactured by Mitsuwa Chemicals Co., Ltd. ) Powdered glycerin styrene acrylic emulsion ( Trade name: Nippon Carbide Co., Ltd. " Nitsukasol " ) ... 50 parts ... 10 parts ... ... 2 parts This ink becomes the solid electrolyte layer 9 by being applied and dried and solidified.

The back counter electrode 10 can be formed by applying silver paste, or by attaching and pressing a metal plate in an uncured state immediately after applying the solid electrolyte layer 9. In short, the solid electrolyte layer 9 It is sufficient to form a conductive layer that is electrically connected to the conductive layer.

Furthermore, the terminal portion 4 is connected to the front transparent electrode 6 and connected to an external drive circuit, and in the embodiment, a pin 11 inserted into a hole drilled in the transparent substrate 5 is fixed with adhesive or the like. It has a similar structure.

Although the price display shelf label of the present invention uses ECD, it does not use any liquid such as electrolyte, so there is no need to create a liquid seal cell, and the manufacturing process is vapor deposition, printing, and coating. It is possible to carry out simple means such as, etc., and manufacturing is inexpensive. In FIG. 2, in order to clarify the layer structure, the thickness of each layer other than the transparent substrate 5 is exaggerated, so it may be difficult to see, but in reality, the thickness of the transparent substrate 5 is exaggerated.
If it is 1.5mm, the total thickness of all other layers is 0.5mm.
mm, and the overall thickness can be reduced to 2 mm or less.

The general characteristics of this price display shelf label are: (1) The contrast between the displayed and non-displayed areas is large and the display is clear (2) The display is clear even in bright places (3) ) There is no viewing angle dependence, and the display can be recognized from any angle. (4) The display has a memory function and can maintain the display state even if the voltage is removed, making it a low-power display device. (5) The display state has an electromotive force opposite to the voltage applied when coloring, and the display state can be fed back to an external device (for example, a post system).

When a voltage of 0.5 to 2.0V is applied through a drive circuit to the pin 11 on which a price display shelf label using this electrochromic display is to be colored, the color develops.
The price will be displayed. Pin 11 from the display drive circuit
The display remains for 24 hours or more even after the voltage is stopped (memory property). There is an electromotive force between the terminal of the coloring segment and the counter electrode that is in the opposite direction to the voltage applied when coloring using the same principle as a battery, so measure the electromotive force of the terminal after displaying the color. Whether the segment is colored or the current displayed price can be automatically input into the central control section of the POS system, and in conjunction with the POS system, the current price can be input automatically. Able to respond to fluctuations. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to keep applying voltage to sustain the display, it is energy saving, and the display does not disappear even if an accident such as a power outage occurs, which is very effective. FIG. 3 is an example of the use of the electrochromic shelf label 12 of the present invention, and shows a state in which it is linked with a POS system, and is used by connecting a product case 13, a cash register machine 14, and a central control unit 15. It is shown.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the price display shelf label of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of the price display shelf label of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of how the price display shelf label of the present invention is used. 1...Numeric display, 2...Symbol display, 3...Fixed display, 4...Terminal part, 5...Transparent substrate, 6...
Front transparent electrode, 7... Electrochromic body layer (EC layer), 8... Insulating layer, 9... Solid electrolyte layer,
10... Back counter electrode, 11... Pin.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Front transparent electrode, electrochromic body layer,
It is formed by printing or coating as an ink, and the main components are titanic acid, stannic acid, antimonic acid,
a solid electrolyte layer of zirconic acid, niobic acid, tantalic acid and silicic acid alone or in a mixture;
It consists of a display part formed by laminating at least four layers of rear facing electrodes in this order, and a terminal part formed to be removable and connected to a drive circuit for applying input/output voltages for display, and has memory properties of the display. Has rewrite characteristics and back electromotive force to external devices,
A price display shelf label characterized by displaying prices in conjunction with a POS system.