PRICE LABEL FOR A PRODUCT, FOR EXAMPLE A GARMENT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a price label for a good, for example a piece of clothing, having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] It is common practice to label retail goods, especially clothing, with price tags. These price tags are typically made of cardboard and attached to the item with a string. In addition to the price, the tag often includes other information such as the garment size and a barcode for scanning at the checkout.

[0003] If the goods are to be sold at a different price after being labelled with the original price tag, for example as part of a sale at a reduced price, it is time-consuming to relabel each individual price tag with a new price, for example by changing the price by hand or by sticking a sticker with new price information onto the original price tag.

[0004] German patent DE 20 2015 009 876 U1 discloses an autonomous electronic price tag with a display for showing product-related data, as well as an energy storage device, a memory unit, and a data transmission device. The price tag is designed to be attached, for example, using suction cup-style fasteners in a vehicle. The price tag has a large plastic housing and is therefore heavy, unwieldy, and expensive to produce. Such a price tag is unsuitable for retail goods, especially clothing.

[0005] Further electronic price tags are known from US 2015 / 0035674 A1, US 2018 / 0004472 A1, US 2017 / 0293968 A1 and US 2018 / 121774 A1. In particular, US 2015 / 0035674 A1 discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0006] The object of the invention is to provide an electronic price label which allows for a design with the smallest possible size and weight.

[0007] The problem is solved according to the invention by an electronic price tag for a product, for example a garment, with the features of claim 1.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0009] The electronic price tag according to the invention, for attaching to a product, for example a garment, comprising a base body with an electronic display field, a fastening element, and a power supply, is characterized by the fact that the base body is flexible and incorporates printed electronics, wherein the electronics have a particularly wireless interface for receiving data and are configured to display data on the display field. A base body is considered flexible if its thickness is such that it is slightly bendable. Printed electronics are understood to be an electronic assembly or component that has been manufactured wholly or at least partially by means of a printing process.The use of printed electronics on a flexible base enables the design of a low-profile and lightweight price tag, which is therefore particularly suitable for application to retail goods such as clothing.

[0010] The interface enables wireless communication between the price tag and an external communication unit. This allows, for example, price changes to be easily sent from the external communication unit to different products, and the price displayed on the price tag to be easily updated without having to manually change all the price tags. The interface can be implemented, for example, as a radio interface.

[0011] Preferably, the electronics include an RFID chip. Such an RFID chip can simplify the tracking of goods during the payment process at a checkout.

[0012] According to the invention, the price tag includes a motion sensor, and the display field is powered on depending on the detection of movement of the price tag by the motion sensor. Price tags are typically attached to retail goods for several days or weeks. To keep the information continuously available in the display field of the price tag, a correspondingly large power supply would be necessary. However, it is generally not necessary to display the information continuously, since, especially with retail goods such as clothing, customers often only handle, examine, and perhaps try on the items for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. It is therefore sufficient to make the information available only when a customer needs it. A motion sensor can detect movement of the price tag.Preferably, when movement is detected, the display field is powered to make the information available. If the customer puts the item away again, no information needs to be displayed and the display field does not need to be powered.

[0013] The display field can, for example, be designed as a bistable display, in which the display goes out after a certain time without power.

[0014] Advantageously, the motion sensor is part of the printed electronics. This allows for simple and cost-effective manufacturing of the motion sensor. Particularly preferred, the motion sensor can be formed by two interlocking, comb-like structures, which are especially easy to produce using a printing process.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the base body is made of paper, cardboard, or plastic. Such materials enable the simple and cost-effective production of a flexible, lightweight base body. The printed electronics are preferably arranged at least partially between two layers of the base body to protect them from damage.

[0016] Advantageously, the base body has a thickness of less than 5 mm, preferably a thickness of less than 3 mm, and particularly preferably a thickness of less than 2 mm.

[0017] According to a first alternative embodiment of the invention, the fastening element is designed as a cord, band, or wire and is preferably made of paper, plastic, fabric, leather, cotton, hemp, or metal. Such a fastening element is inexpensive to manufacture and allows for easy attachment of the price tag to the product. In this case, for example, the power supply can also be printed on it. For instance, the price tag, in particular the electronics and the display, can be powered by a printed battery.

[0018] According to a second alternative embodiment of the invention, the fastening element comprises a first sub-element and a second sub-element, wherein a pin is detachably arranged on the first sub-element and permanently arranged on the second sub-element. To attach the base body of the price tag to the merchandise using such a fastening element, the pin is guided both through an opening in the base body and through the merchandise. If the merchandise is a garment, the pin can, for example, be guided through a buttonhole or through the fabric. To facilitate this, the pin can be designed in the manner of a needle. One of the two sub-elements can then be arranged on the front, and the other on the back of the base body and the merchandise, particularly the garment.

[0019] Such a fastening element can form a security tag, also known in the industry as a "hard tag." Security tags are attached to merchandise to protect it from shoplifting. If merchandise is moved past a security unit located at the store exit without the security tag having been removed, an alarm is triggered. The security tags are removed at the checkout by breaking the connection between the pin and the first component, a process that typically requires a special device, such as a strong magnet or a type of key. The fastening element can also serve as the security tag itself.In one of the two sub-elements, a means for triggering an alarm, for example a passive coil, may be arranged which triggers a visual and / or acoustic alarm when passing the security unit located at the exit of the store.

[0020] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first or second component includes the power supply, preferably a battery or accumulator, for the printed electronics. Typically, the first and second components have a plastic housing in which there is sufficient space for accommodating a power supply.

[0021] Preferably, the power supply can be electrically connected to the printed electronics via the pen, which can result in a particularly compact design of the price label.

[0022] The invention is explained in detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. These show: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of an electronic price tag according to the invention for a product, for example a garment; Figure 2 shows a further perspective view of the price tag according to the invention. Fig. 1 Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through the price label according to Figure 1 Figure 4 shows a section through the price label according to Figure 1 along line AA in Figure 3 and Figure 5 a perspective view of a second embodiment of an electronic price label according to the invention for a good, for example a garment.

[0023] The Figures 1 to 4The figures show various views of a first embodiment of an electronic price label 10 according to the invention for a good, for example a garment, whereby not all reference numerals are shown in all figures for better clarity.

[0024] The price tag 10, for attaching to a product, for example a garment, has a flexible base body 20, which is preferably designed as a planar element. The base body 20 is considered planar if its length 1 and width b are each significantly greater than its thickness d. The base body 20 has a thickness d of less than 5 mm, preferably less than 3 mm, and most preferably less than 2 mm. The base body 20 can be made of, for example, paper, cardboard, or plastic.

[0025] The base body 20 has an electronic display field 40 for displaying data relating to the goods, for example, the price of the goods. The display field 40 can, for example, be designed as a bistable display.

[0026] Furthermore, the base body 20 includes printed electronics 50. The electronics 50 are manufactured using a printing process and are arranged, in particular, between two layers of the base body 20. The electronics 50 comprise an interface 52 for receiving data, especially from an external communication unit. The electronics 50 are configured to control the display field 40 in such a way as to display the desired data on the display field 40. The electronics 50 can include an RFID chip on which data, in particular product-specific information, can be stored. This data can be displayed on the display field and / or read out, thereby enabling scanning of the product during the payment process, inventorying of the goods, or tracking of the goods.

[0027] The price tag 10 can include a motion sensor 70 to detect movement of the price tag. The motion sensor 70 can, in particular, be part of the printed electronics 50. Preferably, the motion sensor 70 can be formed by two interlocking, comb-like structures 71, 72, which are particularly easy to produce by a printing process. The two comb-like structures 71, 72 form a type of capacitor. When the price tag 10 moves, the flexible base body 20 is typically slightly bent, which leads to a change in the capacitance of the capacitor, so that the movement can be detected. According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the motion sensor 70 can also be designed in the form of discrete, in particular prefabricated, motion sensors 70 in the form of electronic integrated circuits (ICs).

[0028] The base body 20 is attached to the product, for example the garment, by means of a fastening element 30. For this purpose, the base body 20 may in particular have an opening 22 through which the fastening element 30 can be inserted.

[0029] In the Figures 1 to 4In the first embodiment shown, the fastening element 30 comprises a first sub-element 31 and a second sub-element 32, wherein a pin 34 is detachably arranged on the first sub-element 31 and permanently arranged on the second sub-element 32. To attach the price tag 10 to the product, the connection between the two sub-elements 31 and 32 can be released, the pin 34 can be inserted through the opening 22 of the base body 20 and the product (in the case of a garment, for example, directly through the fabric), and the pin 34 can then be reconnected to the first sub-element 32. Such a fastening element 30, comprising the two sub-elements 31 and 32, can simultaneously form a security tag as described above.

[0030] The printed electronics 50 require a power supply 60, which can be, for example, a battery or accumulator. The power supply 60 can be located in the first sub-element 31 or the second sub-element 32; in the present embodiment, it is located in the second sub-element 32. In this embodiment, the power supply 60 can be electrically connected to the printed electronics 50 via the pin 34. For this purpose, the printed electronics 50 can, for example, have a contact field 56 adjacent to the opening 22 of the base body 10, which the pin 34 electrically contacts when it is inserted through the opening 22. Alternatively, the power supply 60 can also be printed on the electronics and, for example, be designed as a printed battery.

[0031] The power supply 60 can continuously supply the printed electronics 50 with energy. Preferably, however, the power supply to the display field 40 can be activated depending on the detection of movement of the price tag 10 by the motion sensor 70. This allows the display field 40 to be powered only when a customer actually wants to view the information to be displayed in the display field 40.

[0032] The in Figure 5 The illustrated embodiment of a 10' price label differs from the one shown in the Figures 1 to 4The price label 10 shown is essentially distinguished by the design of the fastening element 30. The fastening element 30' of the price label 10' is designed as a cord, band, or wire and can be guided through the opening 22 of the base body 20 to attach the base body 20 to the product. The fastening element 30' can be made of paper, plastic, fabric, leather, cotton, hemp, or metal. Reference symbol list

[0033] 10 Price label 10' Price label 20 Base body 22 Opening 30 Fastening element 30' Fastening element 31 First sub-element 32 Second sub-element 34 Pin 40 Display field 50 Printed electronics 52 Interface 54 RFID chip 56 Contact field 60 Power supply 70 Motion sensor 71 Comb-like structure 72 Comb-like structure 1 Length b Width d Thickness

Claims

1. Electronic price label (10, 10') for attaching to an item of goods, for example a garment, comprising a base body (20) with an electronic display panel (40), a fastening element (30, 30') and a power supply (60), wherein the base body (20) is flexible and comprises printed electronics (50), wherein the electronics (50) comprise an interface (52) for receiving data and are designed to display data on the display panel (40), characterized in that the price label (10, 10') comprises a motion sensor (70) and the power supply to the display panel (40) can be activated in response to the detection of a movement of the price label (10, 10') by the motion sensor (70).

2. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronics (50) comprise an RFID chip (54).

3. Price label according to claim 2, characterized in that the motion sensor (70) is part of the printed electronics (50).

4. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (20) is made of paper, cardboard, or plastic.

5. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (20) comprises a thickness (d) of less than 5 mm, preferably a thickness (d) of less than 3 mm, particularly preferably a thickness (d) of less than 2 mm.

6. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (30') is designed as a cord, ribbon, or wire and is preferably made of paper, plastic, fabric, leather, cotton, hemp, or metal.

7. Price label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening element (30) comprises a first sub-element (31) and a second sub-element (32), wherein a pin (34) is detachably arranged on the first sub-element (31) and is inseparably arranged on the second sub-element (32).

8. Price label according to claim 7, characterized in that the first sub-element (31) or the second sub-element (32) comprises the power supply (60), preferably a battery or an accumulator, for the printed electronics (50).

9. Price label according to claim 8, characterized in that the power supply (60) can be connected electrically to the printed electronics (50) via the pin (34).