Hang strip and header

The present invention relates to a hang strip header. More especially the invention relates to a hang strip header to which a hang strip can be easily attached.

Hang strips, also referred to as "display strips", ""sell strips", "merchandising strips" or "clip strips", are used to hang a group of items in a vertical manner in a retail outlet. Hang strips are produced in a number of varying shapes and designs. Some hang strips are formed with an integral header portion, others need to be affixed to a separate header.

The problem with the need to affix a strip to a header is that any fixing means produced for this purpose needs to be separately formed which negates any benefits from providing a separate strip and header.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the aforementioned problem by providing a header for a hang strip having a single cut to allow the hang strip to be affixed thereto without the need for a separate fixing means.

The header itself is hung from a hanging mechanism of any kind provided in a retail outlet. Conventionally an aperture is punched through the header near to its top and the hanging mechanism is received through the aperture to hang the header downwardly from the hanging mechanism.

In some cases, a header is not used and a top part of the hang strip has a punched aperture in the same way.

The process of punching a hole through the header or strip has several disadvantages. Hang strips and headers are generally made from plastics material and the process of punching a hole in the header or strip naturally involves the production of small plastic pieces which fall from the header or strip as the hole is punched. The production environment of headers and strips of the type mentioned is very sensitive to bits of waste material being dislodged during manufacturing process. The same sensitivity is applied to parties packing product on to the strip. The food and pharmaceutical industries, in particular, cannot risk small plastic pieces being detached and potentially finding themselves in the end product or otherwise contaminating the environment.

Furthermore, the shear quantity of small plastic circles produced during the process can provide health and safety concerns, particularly if the material covers the floor. A further problem can occur if it becomes difficult to punch the apertures in the strip due to stickiness in the material.

The present invention also seeks to alleviate this problem by providing a header or hang strip with a cut formed through its surface for receiving a hanging mechanism. The use of a cut rather than a punched hole avoids any waste strip material from being dislodged from the header or strip as it is pushed onto the hanging mechanism.

Accordingly, in one aspect there is provided a header for a hang strip, the header having means to affix the hang strip to the header, said means comprising a single cut having a generally horizontal portion and an upwardly extending portion extending from one end of the horizontal portion.

By "horizontal" it is meant generally parallel to the bottom edge of the header.

Preferably, both ends of the cut are formed with a return.

Preferably the upwardly extending cut portion extends upwardly at an angle from the horizontal portion.

An upwardly extending cut may extend from both ends of the horizontal cut.

In a second aspect there is provided, a hang strip having a end portion having means to attach the strip to a header, the attachment means comprising first and second opposed cuts, each extending from the edge of the strip.

Preferably, the cuts extend perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the strip.

By "opposed cuts" it is meant two cuts that break the outer edge of the strip and extend towards each other the ends of the cuts face each other, but do not meet, along the same line of axis.

Preferably the first and second cuts are of equal length.

In a third aspect there is provided a method of attaching a header in accordance with the first aspect to a hang strip of the second aspect, the method comprising the steps of :

• inserting the end portion of the hang strip horizontally through the upwardly extending cut of the header;
• moving the strip downwardly with respect to the header such that the first cut of the strip and the horizontal cut of the header act to divide the strip either side of the header at the cuts;
• rotating the strip with respect to the header such that the second cut of the strip and the upwardly extending cut of the header act to divide the strip either side of the header at those cuts when the strip extends downwardly from the base of the header.

In a fourth aspect there is provided a display device having means to hang at least one product thereon, at least one part of the device being bendable with respect to the main device body to provide an aperture in the device in which to receive a hanging mechanism.

Preferably bendable part is formed by a cut in the surface of the hang strip.

Preferably still the cut is generally "U-shaped".

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

• Figure 1 illustrates a header for a hang strip constructed in accordance with the present invention;
• Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a header for a hang strip strip constructed in accordance with the present invention; and
• Figure 3 illustrates a hang strip constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a header 2 for a hang strip 4 (shown in figure 3). The header 2 is formed from plastics material. It may however be constructed from any flexible sheet material, such as for example, card.

The header 2 is generally rectangular in shape with a curved top edge but it will be clear that the header 2 could be of any shape and design.

The header 2 has, near its top, an upturned "U-shaped" cut 6 formed in its surface. The cut 6 forms a partial boundary of a section 8 of the header 2. The cut 6 allows the section 8 to be bent or folded away from the header 2, about a base line which extends along the boundary part of the section 8 not defined by the cut 6.

In such a way, the section 8 can be bent or folded away from the surface of the header 2 so to leave an aperture through which a hanging mechanism can be received to hang the header 2 downwardly from the hanging mechanism.

The base of the section 8 remains attached to the header 2 at all times to ensure that an aperture can be formed to hang the header without any piece of material from being dislodged entirely from the header 2.

Prior to bending or folding away from the main header body, the section 8 forms part of the surface of the header 2 and is located within the boundaries of the main header body.

It is clearly envisaged that the cut 6 can be of any profile to produce an aperture (when the section is folded from the header) which has a profile to match the hook on which the header 2 is to be hung. It is also clear that a plurality of cuts may be formed for this purpose.

The lower part of the header 2 has a cut 10 which is designed to allow the hang strip 4 to be easily affixed thereto.

The cut 10 has a horizontal part 12 and an upwardly extending part 14 extending from one end of the horizontal part 12. The upwardly extending cut 14 extends at an angle from the horizontal cut 12. Each end 16 of the overall cut extends back to form a return 18.

Figure 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment. In this case, the fixing means comprises a single cut 20 having a horizontal part 22 and upwardly extending parts 24, 26 extending vertically from each end of the horizontal cut 22.

In both cases, although reference is made to "horizontal", the cut may be at any angle to bottom edge of the header.

As previously described, the purpose of the cuts 10, 20 is to provide a quick and effective means to fix a hang strip 4 to the header 2. The use of a cut as the fixing means alleviates any need for a separate fixing mechanism.

The hang strip 4, suitable for fixing to the header 2 will now be described with reference to Figure 3.

The strip 4 is formed from a plastics material. Like the header 2, the strip 4 could be made from any strong flexible material. The strip 4 has a series of cuts 28 formed in its lower section which provide means to hold a product (not shown) on the strip. In the Figure, these cuts 28 are semicircular and U-shaped. It is, however, generally accepted that there are a vast number of cut designs which can be incorporated onto a hang strip to hold a vast array of products of different shapes and sizes. There is no intention to limit this invention to any particular mechanism by which products are held on the strip 4.

A top portion 30 of the strip 4 is defined by first and second opposed cuts 32, 34 which extend from the edge of the strip 4 inwardly towards the centre along a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (ordinarily the "hanging axis") of the strip 4. Each cut 32, 34 is approximately one third of the overall width of the strip 4 leaving a solid connection of approximately one third of the strip width between the two cuts 32, 34. The end of each cut 32, 34 extends back on itself to form a return.

The top portion 30 of the strip 4 includes an upturned U-shaped cut 6 to provide a means to hang the strip 4 on a hanging mechanism (when the header 2 is not attached) in the same way as has been previously described with reference to the header 2.

The method of fixing the strip 4 to the header 2 will now be described.

Firstly, the top portion 30 of the strip 4 is pushed horizontally through the upwardly extending cut 14 of the header 2. Once the top portion 30 extends through the cut 14, the strip is then pulled downwardly such that the first cut 32 of the strip 4 and the horizontal cut 12 on the header 2 act to divide the strip 4 either side at the cuts 32, 12.

The strip 4 is then rotated such that the second cut 34 of the strip 4 and the upwardly extending cut 14 of the header act to divide the strip 4 either side of the header at the cuts 34, 14 as the strip 4 extends downwardly from the base of the header 2.

The strip 4 is attached to the header 2 of the second embodiment in a similar manner by firstly extending the top portion 30 of the strip 4 through the first vertical cut 24 before rotating the strip 4 to divide the strip either side of the header at the horizontal cut 22 and second vertical cut 26.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of one embodiment of a header and hang strip according to the present invention and of just one form in which it may be used. The skilled reader will understand that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention.