ELECTRONIC LABEL FOR SHELVES

Abstract

This disclosure provides an electronic shelf label, comprising a back housing (1), a display (4), a protective sleeve (5), and a lens (6). The protective sleeve (5) fits over an outer side of the display (4), a housing slot (101) is formed in the back housing (1), and the display (4) is disposed in the housing slot (101). The lens (6) is arranged to cover an opening in the housing slot (101) and is connected to an edge of the back housing (1). A portion of the protective sleeve (5) located on an edge of a display port in the display (4) rests between the lens (6) and the display (4), such that a pressure-resistant gap (8) is maintained between the lens (6) and the display (4). This disclosure addresses the technical problems of the electronic shelf label being easily damaged and having poor performance.

Description

Electronic price tags Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronic products, and further relates to an electronic price tag, and in particular to an electronic price tag with low cost, high reliability, long life and modularity. Background Art

[0002] Electronic price tags (ESLs) have been widely used as electronic labels that display product price information.

[0003] Because electronic price tags must meet diverse installation scenarios, custom sizes are frequently required. Furthermore, the installation and usage environments of electronic price tags pose significant challenges to their reliability. Because electronic price tags are installed in large quantities, they are often stacked and frequently moved. They are also frequently impacted by shopping carts and other objects during use, placing certain demands on their collision resistance and drop resistance. Furthermore, to improve the stability and efficiency of electronic price tag installation, workers often use their fingers to directly press the screen, placing certain demands on the electronic price tags' resistance to static pressure. After large quantities of electronic price tags are installed in a centralized manner, maintenance costs are high due to their shorter battery life.

[0004] Although there are many types of electronic price tags available, and various companies are constantly launching new electronic price tag products, the screen FPC circuit in existing electronic price tags still needs to be connected to the connector socket, which is costly. The excessive number of electronic components limits the size of the circuit board. In addition, the screen of the electronic price tag has no protective structure and is easily damaged. In addition, the power supply used is a button battery, which is limited by the self-discharge rate and has unsatisfactory performance.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electronic price tag, in which the outer cover of the screen is provided with a protective cover, which can buffer the external forces in all directions, and a pressure-proof gap is reserved between the lens and the screen to effectively prevent the screen from being squeezed and damaged.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic price tag in which the battery is stably connected to the circuit board, the battery has a longer service life, reduces maintenance costs, and is suitable for long-term use.

[0008] The present invention can be implemented by adopting the following technical solutions:

[0009] The present invention provides an electronic price tag, which includes a rear shell, a screen, a protective cover, and a lens, wherein:

[0010] The protective cover is mounted on the outside of the screen, a receiving groove is formed on the back shell, the screen is arranged in the receiving groove, the lens cover is arranged at the notch of the receiving groove and is connected to the edge of the back shell, and the protective cover located at the edge of the display port of the screen is supported between the lens and the screen so that a pressure-proof gap is reserved between the lens and the screen.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0012] The electronic price tag protects all six end faces of the screen through the protective cover. When subjected to external forces from various directions, the protective cover deforms to provide cushioning and shock absorption, thereby protecting the screen. A pressure-proof gap is reserved between the lens and the screen. Even if the lens is subjected to external pressure, it deforms within the pressure-proof gap area without directly pressing against the screen, effectively preventing damage to the screen due to pressure, protecting the screen, improving the electronic price tag's impact and compression resistance, and extending its service life. The circuit board can be compatible with back shells of various sizes, offering high versatility and suitability for modular production, enabling rapid stocking, mass production, and reduced processing costs. The circuit board and battery can be fixed in place using a variety of connection methods, ensuring easy installation and high stability. The use of lithium-manganese soft-pack batteries as a power source not only occupies a small space, but also offers advantages such as good safety and high cost-effectiveness. Compared with button batteries, it has superior performance indicators. Due to the use of lithium-manganese soft-pack batteries, the thickness is greatly reduced. Under the condition of the same power consumption, the electronic price tag of the present invention can meet the requirements of an ultra-thin size. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The following drawings are intended only to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0014] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the electronic price tag of the present invention in a disassembled state.

[0015] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the electronic price tag of the present invention in which the screen is installed in the rear housing.

[0016] FIG3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0017] FIG4 is a schematic diagram showing one of the connection modes between the circuit board and the battery in the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0018] FIG5 is a second schematic diagram of the connection between the circuit board and the battery in the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0019] FIG6 is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the circuit board in the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0020] FIG7 is a second schematic diagram of the installation position of the circuit board in the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0021] FIG8 is a third schematic diagram of the installation position of the circuit board in the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0022] FIG9 is a partial enlarged view of the connection position between the lens and the rear shell of the electronic price tag of the present invention.

[0023] FIG10 is a second partial enlarged view of the connection position between the lens and the rear shell of the electronic price tag of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, purposes and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the present invention provides an electronic price tag, which includes a back shell 1, a screen 4, a protective cover 5 and a lens 6, wherein: the protective cover 5 is fixedly mounted on the outside of the screen 4, a receiving groove 101 is formed on the back shell 1, the screen 4 and the protective cover 5 are both fixedly arranged in the receiving groove 101, the lens 6 is covered at the notch of the receiving groove 101 and is connected to the edge of the back shell 1, and the protective cover 5 located at the edge of the display port of the screen 4 is supported between the lens 6 and the screen 4, so that a pressure-proof gap 8 is reserved between the lens 6 and the screen 4.

[0026] In the present invention, a protective cover 5 is provided on the outside of the screen 4. The protective cover 5 can protect the entire screen 4 (i.e., the six end faces of the screen). When the screen 4 is subjected to external force from any direction, the protective cover 5 itself will deform to play a buffering and shock-absorbing role, thereby protecting the screen; in addition, since an anti-pressure gap 8 is reserved between the lens 6 and the screen 4, even if the lens 6 is subjected to external extrusion force, the lens 6 will deform in the area of ​​the anti-pressure gap 8 and will not directly squeeze the screen 4, which can effectively prevent the screen 4 from being damaged due to extrusion, thereby protecting the screen 4, thereby improving the impact and extrusion resistance of the electronic tag and extending the service life of the electronic tag.

[0027] Furthermore, the protective cover 5 can be made of, but is not limited to, elastic silicone material.

[0028] Furthermore, a display window 501 is provided on the protective cover 5 at a position opposite to the display port of the screen 4 , and the lens 6 is made of a transparent material, so that the screen 4 can display product information through the display window 501 and the lens 6 in sequence.

[0029] In the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 5, the electronic tag also includes a battery 2 and a circuit board 3. The battery 2 and the circuit board 3 are fixedly arranged in the accommodating groove 101, and the circuit board 3 is connected to the rear shell 1 so that the tab 201 of the battery 2 is pressed tightly against the power supply end of the circuit board 3.

[0030] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, a fixing hole 301 is provided on the circuit board 3, and a screw 7 is provided in the fixing hole 301. The circuit board 3 is fastened to the rear shell 1 by the screw 7, so that the tab 201 of the battery 2 is pressed tightly against the power supply end of the circuit board 3, thereby ensuring the stability of power supply.

[0031] In another optional embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG5 , the tab 201 of the battery 2 is welded to the power supply terminal of the circuit board 3 , so that the tab 201 of the battery 2 and the power supply terminal of the circuit board 3 maintain a fixed connection relationship, thereby ensuring the stability of power supply.

[0032] Furthermore, the exterior of the battery 2 is covered with an aluminum-plastic film shell.

[0033] Furthermore, battery 2 uses a lithium-manganese soft-pack battery. On the basis of ensuring good safety and high cost-effectiveness, the use of lithium-manganese soft-pack batteries can also greatly enhance the following application performance indicators:

[0034] 1. The appearance can be customized; the appearance can be customized according to the installation space to meet the needs of the product;

[0035] 2. Equivalent self-discharge rate: During long-term use, the average annual self-discharge rate of electronic price tags is less than 1%;

[0036] 3. Good storage performance: storage life is more than ten years;

[0037] 4. Wide temperature performance: The applicable temperature range is -25℃ to 60℃, and the output power at 0℃ is still about 95% of the normal temperature capacity;

[0038] 5. Current load capacity: The constant current output capacity is above 100mhA, which is more than 10 times that of CR2450 button-type lithium manganese dioxide battery.

[0039] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG4 , a plurality of snap-in plates 1011 are arranged side by side and at intervals on the inner wall of the accommodating groove 101 , the battery 2 is arranged in the middle position of each snap-in plate 1011 , and the edge of the battery 2 is engaged with each snap-in plate 1011 , which not only facilitates disassembly and assembly, but also ensures that the battery 2 is stably installed in the rear shell 1 .

[0040] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, the circuit board 3 and the back shell 1 are both rectangular structures. The circuit board 3 can be installed at a top corner position in the back shell 1, so that the shape of the circuit board 3 can match back shells 1 of various sizes. The circuit board 3 has high versatility and is suitable for modular production, which can achieve the purpose of rapid stocking, mass production, and reduced processing costs.

[0041] In the prior art, the purpose of fixing and protecting the screen is achieved by fixing the circuit board to the screen. However, since the shape of the circuit board 3 in the present invention is suitable for modular production, the area of ​​the circuit board 3 in the present invention needs to be much smaller than the area of ​​the circuit board in the prior art. Therefore, in the present invention, the circuit board 3 cannot fix and protect the screen 4. In order to ensure that the screen 4 is not damaged, a protective cover 5 is provided in the present invention to protect the screen 4.

[0042] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, ultrasonic welding can be used to connect the lens 6 to the back shell 1. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a welding groove 102 is provided along the edge of the back shell 1. The inner wall of the welding groove 102 is formed with a bevel 1021 along its extension direction. The cross-section of the edge of the lens 6 is at a right angle. The edge of the lens 6 is placed in the welding groove 102, and the edge of the lens 6 is ultrasonically welded to the inner wall of the welding groove 102, so that the back shell 1 and the lens 6 form an integral structure. During the installation process of the lens 6, as shown in Figure 9, the lens 6 needs to be placed in the welding groove 102 until the edge of the lens 6 abuts the bevel 1021. While continuing to press the lens 6, ultrasonic welding is performed between the lens 6 and the inner wall of the welding groove 102. During the welding process, a compressive force is generated between the bevel 1021 and the edge of the lens 6, causing the bevel 1021 to melt and fill the remaining gap between the lens 6 and the welding groove 102, thereby adapting the edge of the lens 6 to the welding groove 102 and achieving the purpose of stably connecting the lens 6 to the back shell 1. Of course, other structures can also be set in the welding groove 102 so that before the lens 6 is connected to the rear shell 1, the edge of the lens 6 does not match the inner wall of the welding groove 102 (that is, the cross-section of the welding groove 102 is not a right angle) to ensure that the inner wall of the welding groove 102 can match the edge of the lens 6 during ultrasonic welding.

[0043] In another optional embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the lens 6 and the rear shell 1 can be achieved by spot glue bonding, and a welding groove 102 is provided along the edge of the rear shell 1. The cross-section of the welding groove 102 and the cross-section of the edge of the lens 6 are both at right angles, so that the edge of the lens 6 is not compatible with the inner wall of the welding groove 102. The edge of the lens 6 is placed in the welding groove 102, and the edge of the lens 6 and the inner wall of the welding groove 102 are connected by spot glue.

[0044] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, a sticker 9 is provided on the edge of the back shell 1. The sticker 9 can be used to mark a barcode, and the electronic price tag is bound to the product through the barcode to ensure that the information on the electronic price tag is consistent with the product information.

[0045] The above description is only an illustrative embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principle of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic price tag, wherein: The electronic price tag includes a back cover, a screen, a protective cover and a lens, wherein: The protective cover is mounted on the outside of the screen, a receiving groove is formed on the back shell, the screen is arranged in the receiving groove, the lens cover is arranged at the notch of the receiving groove and is connected to the edge of the back shell, and the protective cover located at the edge of the display port of the screen is supported between the lens and the screen so that a pressure-proof gap is reserved between the lens and the screen.

2. The electronic price tag according to claim 1, wherein: A display window is provided on the protective cover at a position opposite to the display port of the screen.

3. The electronic price tag according to claim 1, wherein: The electronic tag further includes a battery and a circuit board, both of which are disposed in the accommodating groove. The circuit board is connected to the rear shell so that the tabs of the battery are tightly pressed against the power supply terminal of the circuit board.

4. The electronic price tag according to claim 3, wherein: A fixing hole is provided on the circuit board, and a screw connected to the rear shell is provided in the fixing hole.

5. The electronic price tag according to claim 3, wherein: The tabs of the battery are welded to the power supply terminals of the circuit board.

6. The electronic price tag according to claim 3, wherein: The exterior of the battery is covered with an aluminum-plastic film shell.

7. The electronic price tag according to claim 6, wherein: The battery is a lithium manganese soft pack battery.

8. The electronic price tag according to claim 3, wherein: A plurality of engaging pieces are provided on the inner wall of the accommodating groove, and the battery is engaged with each of the engaging pieces.

9. The electronic price tag according to claim 3, wherein: The shape of the circuit board matches the rear shells of various sizes.

10. The electronic price tag according to claim 1, wherein: A welding groove is provided along the edge of the rear shell, and an inclined surface is formed on the inner wall of the welding groove along its extension direction. The edge of the lens is placed in the welding groove, and the edge of the lens and the inner wall of the welding groove are ultrasonically welded to form an integrally formed structure of the rear shell and the lens.

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