Shelf Label Holder with Flat Front Edge to Mask Concave Sign Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard display shelves with concave sign channels on their front edges create a non-uniform appearance, as the tilted price labels can disrupt the aesthetic continuity with other display types, and may cause products to catch when pulled off.
Innovation Solution
A shelf label holder with an opaque main body and a transparent sign sleeve is attached to the sign channel, transforming the concave edge into a flat front edge, hiding the sign channel and preventing product interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a concave sign channel is used on the display shelf front edge, then price labels can be displayed at a tilt for better visibility, but the aesthetic continuity with other display types is disrupted and products may catch when pulled off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shelf label holder as an intermediary component between the sign channel and the displayed materials. This holder has a flat front surface that masks the concave sign channel, while still allowing tilted price labels to be displayed within its structure. The holder thus mediates between the need for visible price labels and the desire for a uniform front edge appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf label holder extends in multiple dimensions: it has depth to mask the concave sign channel, height to display price labels, and width to cover the front edge. By adding this third dimension (depth extending into the concave channel), the solution transforms the problematic concave shape into a functional multi-dimensional structure that achieves both visibility and uniformity.
2Productivity
If a concave sign channel is used on the display shelf, then price labels can be held and displayed, but the concave shape causes products to catch when pulled off the shelf
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf label holder acts as a mediator that provides a flat front surface for product retrieval while still accommodating price labels. Products can be pulled off smoothly from the flat surface without catching on the concave channel, while the holder's internal structure continues to support tilted price label display.
3Device complexity
If the sign channel is exposed on the display shelf front edge, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the aesthetic appearance and uniformity with other display types is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf front edge is segmented into two functional parts: the exposed flat front surface of the shelf label holder for aesthetic uniformity, and the hidden concave sign channel for price label display. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function while the overall appearance remains uniform and flat.
Data Source
AI summary
A main body of a label holder is made of an opaque material and includes a main panel having a top end, a bottom end and a plurality of bends that define the main panel into a plurality of sections. The sections include a first substantially vertical section having a front facing surface that is spaced behind a front facing surface of a second substantially vertical section by a depth of a substantially horizontal section. A sign sleeve is at least partially made of a transparent material and is coupled to the front facing surface of the first substantially vertical section. The sign sleeve is located between the front facing surface of the first substantially vertical section and a plane that is in alignment with the front facing surface of the second substantially vertical section.