SUPPORT PARTICULARLY FOR INFORMATION DISPLAY DEVICES Technical Field

The present invention relates to a support particularly for information display devices. Background Art

Programmable display devices, commonly known as electronic tags, are currently used, especially in points of sale, and allow, by means of a display generally of the liquid-crystal type, to provide information regarding the prices, expiration date or other data of products displayed on racks. Supports for such display devices are known which allow to orient them so that the display is positioned adequately for correct reading by clients of the point of sale.

A first support of this type that can be mentioned is constituted by a profiled element which can be engaged with the free edge of a shelf of the rack and is associated, by way of the interposition of an elastically deformable tab, with a supporting portion with which it is possible to couple a display device, which can be oriented variously with respect to the rack thanks to the possibility to interpose one or more spacer plugs between the profiled element and the supporting portion. One drawback that can be observed in this solution is limited practicality, caused substantially by difficulty in inserting or extracting the plugs in the interspace between the profiled element and the supporting portion.

Another currently known support is instead constituted by two elements, one designed to be fixed to the rack and the other one associable with the display device. In particular, these two elements are coupled to each other so that they can rotate about a rotation axis and are provided with means for mutual locking, which allow to vary adjustably their relative angular position. In detail, such locking means are constituted by a rack, which is associated with one of the two elements and is provided with a

plurality of engagement teeth, which are spaced from one another, about said rotation axis, and can be engaged by a locking element constituted by an elastic lamina supported by the other of the two elements. In practice, in this solution, with the rotation of one element with respect to the other the elastic lamina is capable of engaging sequentially between the teeth of the rack, allowing precise adjustment of the angular orientation of one element with respect to the other.

Although this solution is conceptually valid, it suffers however the drawback that in case of accidental impact against the element that supports the display device such device can change orientation without the possibility to return to the initial position due to the engagement of the locking element with the teeth of the rack. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide a support particularly for information display devices which is capable of providing an effective solution to the problems that affect currently known solutions and can be used effectively in racks of points of sale to support liquid crystal displays intended to display sales information.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a support that allows to vary at will the orientation of the display devices in an extremely practical and simple way.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support that allows to have a stable positioning of the display device with respect to the rack, preventing the intended orientation of the display device from being able to change due to accidental reasons.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a support that has an extremely simple structure and a highly competitive production cost.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a support particularly for information

display devices, which comprises at least two elements, respectively a first element, which can be associated with a fixed structure, and a second element, which can be associated with an information display device, said second element being able to move rotationally with respect to said first element about a rotation axis in order to vary the orientation of said display device with respect to said fixed structure, means for the removable locking of said first element with respect to said second element in at least two distinct angular positions being provided, characterized in that said removable locking means comprise stroke limiting means, which have at least two abutment regions which are formed on one of said at least two elements and can be engaged selectively by a locator element, which is supported by the other of said at least two elements in order to position said second element with respect to said first element in respective angular locking positions, said stroke limiting means being adapted to lock said second element with respect to said first element in rotation in one direction about said rotation axis, free rotation of said second element with respect to said first element in the opposite direction of rotation being allowed. Brief description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a support particularly for information display devices, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the support according to the invention;

Figure 2 is another exploded perspective view of the support according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the support according to the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the support according to the

invention, taken from a different angle with respect to Figure 3.

In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments. Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

Ways of carrying out the Invention

With reference to the figures, the support particularly for information display devices according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises at least two elements, respectively a first element 2, which is associable with a fixed structure, such as for example a rack for displaying products on sale, and a second element 3, which is associable with an information display device 4, constituted for example by a liquid crystal display of the type that can be used to display information related to the sale of products.

The second element 3 can rotate about a rotation axis 100 with respect to the first element 2, so as to allow to vary the orientation of the display device 4 with respect to the fixed structure. With reference to the illustrated example of embodiment, the first element 2 is constituted by a contoured plate 2a, which can be coupled, by means of a coupling end thereof, to a fixing profiled element (not shown), which is hollow internally and is associated with the fixed structure. For example, as is customary, said fixing profiled element has an open side for the insertion of the contoured plate 2a and is rigidly connected to the free edge of a shelf supported by a rack.

In greater detail, the contoured plate 2a is preferably provided, on at least one of its faces, with engagement protrusions 2b designed to engage it in corresponding regions of the internal wall of the fixing profiled element. Again with reference to the illustrated example, the second element 3

is provided with a base body 5, which is designed to be arranged so as to face, with one of its faces 5a, the rear face of the display device 4, which ordinarily has a substantially parallelepipedal configuration.

The base body 5 is provided, in mutually opposite positions, with at least one pair of engagement edges 6, which protrude from its face 5a and with which it can engage peripherally the display device 4, substantially at respective opposite sides 4a of said device.

Advantageously, on their side designed to be directed toward the display device 4, the engagement edges 6 of the base body 5 form at least two separate accommodation regions 7a and 7b in order to allow to engage with the second element 3 display devices 4 that have at least two different dimensions.

In particular, the accommodation regions 7a and 7b are designed to accommodate respective engagement portions 4b, each whereof protrudes from a respective side 4a of the display device 4 and typically has different dimensions according to the overall dimensions of the display device 4.

In greater detail, each accommodation region 7a and 7b is delimited laterally by shoulders 8, which are designed to abut against end regions 4c of the engagement portions 4b. Advantageously, the shoulders 8 formed on one of the engagement edges 6 are directed away from the shoulders 8 formed on the other of the engagement edges 6. With this arrangement, the shoulders 8 carried by one of the engagement edges 6 in practice engage on the corresponding side 4a the corresponding engagement portion 4b with an end region 4c thereof which is directed away from the end region 4c which, on the engagement portion 4b arranged on the opposite side 4a, is engaged by the shoulders 8 carried by the other engagement edge 6.

In this manner, not only is a particularly safe engagement of the display device 4 provided by the accommodation regions 7a, 7b, but it is also possible to obtain easily by molding the base body 5 of the second

element 3.

It should be noted that in order to provide accommodation regions 7a and 7b that have different dimensions, the shoulders 8 of each of the accommodation regions 7a and 7b are in practice spaced from one another along the longitudinal extension of the corresponding engagement edge 6.

Conveniently, the possibility of the second element 3 to rotate with respect to the first element 2 is provided by providing on the base body 5 of the second element 3 a tubular portion 9, which is arranged on the opposite side with respect to the face 5a and forms axially a rotation seat 9a, within which a shaft 10, supported by the contoured plate 2a, can be coupled rotatably about its own axis on the opposite side with respect to its connecting end.

Substantially, the shaft 10 is arranged so that its axis is oriented substantially parallel to the fixing profiled element to which the corresponding contoured plate 2a is coupled.

Advantageously, the tubular portion 9 has a longitudinal recess 9b, which gives the tubular portion 9 a certain elastic deformability in the direction that produces the expansion of the rotation seat 9a, so as to allow to couple detachably the shaft 10 in the rotation seat 9a by means of its insertion or disengagement with respect to the rotation seat 9a.

Conveniently, the shaft 10 is supported, at its axial ends, by two supporting elements 11 , which protrude from the end of the contoured plate 2a that lies opposite its connection end.

Advantageously, toothed protrusions 12 are provided on said supporting elements 11 and have an inclined portion 12a, which is directed outwardly with respect to the contoured plate 2a, and a flat portion 12b, which is directed in the opposite direction. Due to the inclined portion 12a, the toothed protrusions 12 are able to move beyond the edge region 13 of the rotation seat 9a arranged at the axial ends of the tubular portion 9 when the shaft 10 is inserted axially in the rotation seat 9a, with the supporting

elements 11 arranged at the longitudinal recess 9b. Due to the corresponding flat portion 12b, the toothed protrusions 12 allow to keep the shaft 10 coupled to the rotation seat 9a, abutting against the edge region 13 of the rotation seat 9a. In order to allow to vary the relative orientation of the second element

3 with respect to the first element 2 and allow to position angularly, according to the various requirements, the display device 4 with respect to the fixed structure, there are detachable locking means, which allow to keep the second element 3 locked with respect to the first element 2 in at least two distinct angular positions.

According to the invention, such removable locking means comprise stroke limiting means, which are formed by at least two abutment regions 16 formed on one of the two elements 2 and 3, which regions can be engaged selectively by a locator element 17, supported by the other of the elements 2 and 3, in order to allow the placement of the second element 3 with respect to the first element 2 in respective angular locking positions.

In particular, again according to the invention, the stroke limiting means are capable of locking the second element 3 with respect to the first element 2 in its rotation about the rotation axis formed by the shaft 10 in one direction of rotation, although free rotation of the second element 3 with respect to the first element 2 in the opposite direction of rotation is in any case allowed.

In particular, the direction of rotation that allows locking and determines the abutment of the locator element against the selected abutment region 16 corresponds to the direction of rotation of the second element 3 produced only by the action of the force of gravity that acts on the second element 3.

Conveniently, the abutment regions 16 are arranged along a direction which is substantially parallel to the rotation axis 100 and are mutually angularly spaced about the rotation axis 100. In constructive detail, the

abutment regions 16 are provided on the outer lateral wall 9c of the tubular portion 9 and are mutually spaced along the longitudinal extension of the tubular portion 9 and around the axis thereof.

Conveniently, in order to prevent accidental disengagement of the locator element 17 and the selected abutment region 16 due to the sliding of the second element 3 with respect to the first element 2 along a direction which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 100, means are provided for blocking the disengagement of the locator element 17 from the selected abutment region 16, which are constituted preferably, for each abutment region 16, by engagement guides 18, which can be engaged slidingly by the locator element 17 and are shaped like circular arcs centered on the rotation axis 100.

With reference to the example of embodiment shown, the engagement guides 18 can be provided by means of circumferential grooves, which are formed on the outer side wall 9c of the tubular portion 9 and are mutually spaced along the axial extension of said tubular portion 9. It should be noted that each of said circumferential grooves has a different length, which increases gradually starting from one end of the tubular portion 9 toward the other end, so as to allow an intuitive adjustment of the relative angle of the second element 3 with respect to the first element 2.

Advantageously, the engagement guides 18 are connected one another, at their opposite ends with respect to the respective abutment regions 16, by a selection region 19, which is designed to allow the passage of the locator element 17 from one engagement guide 18 to another. In this manner, the user can move the locator element 17 into the condition for engagement with the abutment region 16 selected in each instance, in order to achieve the selected orientation of the second element 3 and thereby of the display device 4 with respect to the fixed structure.

In particular, the selection region 19 can be engaged slidingly by the locator element 17 and conveniently lies along a direction which is

substantially parallel to the rotation axis 100.

For example, the selection region 19 is provided by means of an axial slot, which is formed on the outer side wall 9c of the tubular portion 9 and in which the circumferential grooves that form the engagement guides 18 merge. Said slot in practice can be crossed longitudinally by the locator element 17, by making the second element 3 slide with respect to the first element 2 along a direction of translational motion that is substantially parallel to the rotation axis 100 and is substantially formed by the axis of the shaft 10. Again with reference to the specific example of embodiment shown, the locator element 17 can be constituted by an engagement pawl 17a, which protrudes with its axis from the contoured plate 2a in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 100. More particularly, the engagement pawl 17a is oriented substantially at right angles with respect to the shaft 10 supported by the contoured plate 2a.

Advantageously, the removable locking means with which the support according to the invention is provided further comprise, on one of the two elements 2 and 3, a plurality of engagement seats 20, which are mutually angularly spaced about the rotation axis 100 and can be engaged by a locking element 21 supported by the other of the two elements 2 and 3. Said locking element 21 is elastically flexible, so that it can engage sequentially the engagement seats 20 during the relative rotation of the elements 2 and 3 about the rotation axis 100.

Conveniently, the locking element 21 can engage the engagement seats 20 only when the locator element 17 is moved into a condition of disengagement with respect to the abutment regions 16.

In the practical execution of the invention, the engagement seats 20 are for example formed on a rack 22, which lies circumferentially around the rotation axis 100. Conveniently, said rack 22 is axially laterally adjacent and coaxial with respect to the tubular portion 9 and can be engaged by an

elastically flexible tab 23, which in practice forms the locking element 21 and protrudes from the contoured plate 2a in a position which is laterally adjacent to the engagement pawl 17a. In order to move the tab 23 into engagement with the rack 22, it is necessary to slide the second element 3 on the shaft 10, with the engagement pawl 17a in the condition for mating with the slot that provides the selection region 19. Once the tab 23 has been positioned in engagement with the rack 22, the engagement pawl 17a is positioned outside the tubular portion 9, so as to not interfere with the second element 3, during the rotation of the second element 3 with respect to the first element 2 about the rotation axis 100.

With this arrangement, in practice the support according to the invention also allows to vary adjustably, in a substantially continuous manner, the angle of the display device 4 with respect to the fixed structure, and also makes possible the discrete adjustment offered by the abutment regions 16.

Operation of the invention is directly derivable from what has been described above.

In practice it has been found that the support according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, since it is extremely easy to use and offers adequate assurances in locking display devices in preset angular positions.

Moreover, the engagement body as described above can be obtained easily by molding and at extremely low costs, since it can be provided by means of molds that are considerably simplified with respect to those used in the background art.

All the characteristics of the invention referenced above as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or replaced with equivalents.

The individual characteristics described with reference to general teachings or to particular embodiments may all be present in other

embodiments or may replace characteristics in said embodiments.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VR2005A000105 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.