Protective Element for Electronic Price Labels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic price label systems are laborious and prone to errors during price updates, and existing electronic labels are vulnerable to damage and require frequent replacements, which increases costs and reduces their lifespan.

Innovation Solution

A protective element for electronic price labels that is detachable, replaceable, and customizable, providing additional markings and a product information part, allowing for easy updating and protection of the label without altering the electronic display, thus reducing errors and extending the label's lifespan.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electronic price labels are used without protective elements, then the structure remains simple and manufacturing cost is low, but the labels become damaged easily and lifespan is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedurability of electronic price labelVSAvoidstructure of electronic price label

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective element is designed as a separate, detachable component from the electronic price label, allowing the label itself to remain simple while gaining protection through the attached element. This segmentation enables the protective function to be added without complicating the core label structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protective element can be manufactured as a simple, inexpensive component that protects the more valuable electronic label. When the protective element becomes damaged or dirty, it can be replaced without replacing the entire electronic price label, reducing overall costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the appearance of electronic price labels is changed to conform to product brands, then customer satisfaction increases, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveappearance customization of price labelVSAvoidmanufacturing cost of price label

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective element is designed as a separate component that can be customized independently from the electronic label. This allows generic labels to be mass-produced efficiently while brand-specific appearances are achieved through interchangeable protective elements featuring logos, colors, and designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of manufacturing custom electronic labels for each brand, the invention uses protective elements that copy or replicate brand appearances through printed logos, colors, and graphical elements on the protective layer, achieving brand conformity without custom electronics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If price label information is updated manually, then system complexity is low, but labor time and error risk increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of price updateVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective element serves multiple functions: it protects the label, provides brand appearance, and can display additional information such as promotional messages, barcodes, or product details that complement the electronic display, reducing the need for additional display segments and pixels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective element acts as an intermediary layer between the electronic display and the external environment, providing physical protection while also serving as a medium for additional visual information that supplements the electronic content without requiring changes to the electronic system itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of information

If additional markings are added to electronic price labels, then information completeness improves, but display resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completeness of price labelVSAvoiddisplay segment and pixel requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding information vertically by increasing display segments and pixels on the electronic screen, the invention adds information horizontally through the protective element, which can carry printed text, barcodes, QR codes, and graphical elements that supplement the electronic display without consuming additional display resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3403255B1Protective element of an electronic price label and electronic price label arrangement

Publication Date: 2022.10.26 MARIELLA LABELS

Figure 1A~2C
Figure 3A~4
Figure 5A~5B

AI summary

Electronic price label arrangement (300) and a protective element (200, 600, 700) of an electronic price label, which protective element comprises an envelope part, which comprises a front wall (202), a rear wall (204) and at least one side wall (206, 208). A space (220) for the electronic price label (100) is arranged between the front wall and rear wall of the envelope part, and the envelope part is further adapted to at least partly surround, on the front side (106) and on the rear side (108) and on at least one other side (110, 112) of the electronic price label, an electronic price label (100) inside the envelope part and/or an electronic price label to be placed inside the envelope part.