Patents Assigned to Trion Industries, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6601808
    Abstract: A merchandise display hook assembly is comprised of a wire hook for suspending display merchandise, and a specially molded plastic back plate, which is formed with multiple mounting sockets at different elevations, for varying the vertical position of the display hook relative to the back plate. In one embodiment, the back plate also accommodates laterally adjustable positioning of the display hook relative to the back plate. The arrangement enables in-store display areas to be configured for greater density of display items, leading to significant cost advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: 6523291
    Abstract: A label holding strip is formed of extruded plastic material, with front and back panels joined integrally along the bottom region of said strip to form an upwardly opening pocket for the reception of labels. The upper portions of the panels are of a generally uniform thickness, while the bottom region of the strip, preferably in the form of a forwardly projecting lobe, is of a significantly (20% or more) greater thickness. A smooth transition region joins the thinner and thicker portions of the strip. The front and rear panels, in the lower portions, are spaced apart a distance not less that the thickness of labels intended to be inserted therein. Upper portions of one of the panels, typically the front panel, curve toward the other panel for gripping a label inserted in the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: 6470613
    Abstract: A label holder for mounting on a shelf channel having an intermediate portion with front and rear surfaces and upper and lower forwardly-projecting flanges, has front and back panels and a shelf channel clip extending from the back panel. A base portion of the shelf channel clip extends from a middle point of the back panel. A shelf channel lower flange-engaging projection extends rearwardly from a rear surface of a lower flange-engaging portion and contacts an upper surface of the lower flange of the shelf channel, and is sized and shaped to limit downward movement of the label holder with respect to the shelf channel. A shelf channel rear surface-engaging portion contacts the rear surface of the intermediate portion of the shelf channel at a point between the upper and lower flanges of the shelf channel. A forwardly-facing C-shaped portion of the shelf channel rear surface-engaging portion has an opening facing the rear surface of the intermediate portion of the shelf channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Wildrick
  • Patent number: 6430857
    Abstract: A label holding strip is formed of extruded plastic material, with front and back panels joined integrally along the bottom region of said strip to form an upwardly opening pocket for the reception of labels. The upper portions of the panels are of a generally uniform thickness, while the bottom region of the strip, preferably in the form of a forwardly projecting lobe, is of a significantly (20% or more) greater thickness. A smooth transition region joins the thinner and thicker portions of the strip. The front and rear panels, in the lower portions, are spaced apart a distance not less that the thickness of labels intended to be inserted therein. Upper portions of one of the panels, typically the front panel, curve toward the other panel for gripping a label inserted in the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: 6299004
    Abstract: A shelf organizing system for dividing flat merchandise display shelving. An extruded front rail member typically of generally L-shaped configuration is secured to the front of a shelf, providing a vertical barrier wall. A retention channel, preferably including one or more resilient retention flanges, is formed integrally with the front rail member. Divider elements, extruded in continuous lengths and cut to desired length for particular shelf width, are formed with a vertical flange and a horizontal stabilizing flange. The stabilizing flange is insertable in the retention channel, at any point along its length, and is tightly gripped therein to hold the divider element in any desired position. The divider element may be easily installed by pressing laterally into contact with merchandise to be segregated, and then moving the divider into the retention channel. Divider elements may also be formed advantageously of wire instead of plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Thalenfeld, Thomas O. Nagel, Richard J. Wildrick
  • Patent number: 6286690
    Abstract: A product display strip is formed of an elongated metal strip, arranged to be suspended in vertical orientation in front of conventional product display shelving, to provide highly visible special product display facing in both directions along a store isle. The strip is formed with integral, product support tongues, extending upward and outward from the body of the strip, alternately in opposite directions, allowing product to be displayed on both sides of the strip. Upper extremities of the product support tongues are oriented generally vertically to inhibit accidental dislodgment of displayed packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Thalenfeld
  • Patent number: 6269571
    Abstract: A dual purpose label holder for mounting on a merchandise display hook having label support means in the form of a cross bar or mounting plate fixedly attached to the outward end of a label holder arm. The label holder is formed of plastic and has a back panel formed with upper and lower mounting portions for pivotal attachment to a cross bar or fixed attachment to a mounting plate. The upper mounting portions serves in a dual capacity, either for pivotal engagement with a cross bar or for fixed engagement with the upper edge of a mounting plate. The label holder preferably has flexibly connected front and back panels, opening at the top, for receiving printed information labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Thalenfeld
  • Patent number: 6266906
    Abstract: An extruded plastic label strip for shelf front mounting. The strip is formed of relatively rigid but flexible plastic material and has a clear front panel joined at a bottom edge to the bottom edge of a back panel structure to form a continuous, upwardly opening label pocket. An overlay panel is joined integrally with an upper edge of the front panel and extends downward over the front thereof to form a downwardly opening continuous channel for receiving thin temporary information slips to flag special items. A narrow margin of soft plastic material is co-extruded to a rearwardly facing surface of the overlay panel in a region thereof forming a gripping throat. Primary pricing and information labels are inserted in the upwardly opening label pocket, while special slips, calling attention to special sales, new product items, etc., can be temporarily slipped under the overlay panel in a highly visible display orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: 6263603
    Abstract: An extruded plastic label holder for placement on the flat front surface of a product display shelf. The label holder includes a clear front panel joined along its bottom edge with a second panel. The second panel is adhesively mounted on the shelf front surface, either directly or by means of a third panel flexibly joined with the second panel along upper edges of both. A short, rigid fulcrum rib is formed integrally with one of the second or (if employed) third panels, slightly above the bottom edge of the second panel and extending generally at right angles thereto. When the bottom edge of the label holder is pressed, the second panel flexes about the fulcrum rib, opening a gap at the upper portion of the label holder for placement or removal of paper labels. The use of a third panel helps to isolate the forces applied in flexing the second panel from the adhesive attachment, enabling less aggressive adhesives to be effectively utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Wildrick
  • Patent number: 6189248
    Abstract: A mounting bracket for securing an electronic label to the front of a store display shelf. The bracket is a one-piece metal sheet formed to provide a central body portion with clips for securing the electronic label. An upper support member extends rearwardly from the upper edge of the body portion and has shelf-engaging lugs adapted to be received in selected ones of regularly spaced openings in the shelf. A spring clip extends rearward from the bottom edge and resiliently and/or frictionally engages bottom contours of the shelf, to secure the bracket at the front edge of the shelf. The bracket is considerably less expensive and easier to install then conventional devices for this purpose, which typically extend the full length of a display shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas O. Nagel, Harold B. Bond, Richard J. Wildrick
  • Patent number: 6141894
    Abstract: A merchandise display hook provided with an improved form of pivoting label holder. A label support arm extends above a merchandise display arm and has a transversely disposed cross bar secured to an upper surface portion thereof. The cross bar provides a pivotal mount for a plastic label holding device, optionally with the end extremity of the label support serving as an abutment stop to limit rearward pivoting movement of the label holder. The label holder has a U-shaped retaining clip portion with a slot sized to accommodate the label support arm during pivotal movement of label holder on the cross bar. The slot is tapered such that the open end thereof is wider than an intermediate portion to prevent contact with the label support arm during downward rotation. The tapered slot can be formed by directing a triangular or trapezoidal-shaped tool through the retaining clip portion parallel to the panel of the label holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thalenfeld, Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: 6035569
    Abstract: A label holder and mounting clip for the mounting and display of electronic labels. A label holder of extruded plastic material snugly receives the enclosure of the electronic label which can be protected by a clear cover extending over the front of the label holder at least slightly spaced from the front of the label. A mounting strip is coextruded with the body of the label holder and is flexibly attached thereto by a co-extruded living hinge. Mounting brackets, of spring metal or the like, are received in pricing channels along the front of display shelving, or are otherwise mounted at the front of the shelving, and include a forwardly displaced, upwardly extending mounting tongue received in a downwardly opening slot in the flexibly attached mounting strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas O. Nagel, Harold B. Bond, Jan Lindstrom, Borje Josefsson, Richard Moser
  • Patent number: 5996264
    Abstract: A sign holder device for mounting on the projecting lower margin of a display shelf ticket molding or label holder. The device is of injection molded construction having spaced apart side walls joined by top and bottom walls. A pair of mounting clips extend rearwardly and then upwardly from the bottom wall in general alignment with the respective through openings. Resilient plastic tabs, extending forwardly from the mounting clips, allow the device to be mounted on a variety of label holder configurations, where the label holders have a downwardly projecting lower edge margin to be received in the mounting clip. Abutment clips project rearwardly from the sidewalls toward the mounting clips and define locking recesses adjacent the bottom of the sign holder. This enables the sign holder to be applied over the lower edge of a flanged ticket molding and to be lockingly retained thereon by engagement of the lower flange within the locking recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: D443311
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Wildrick
  • Patent number: D449514
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John S. Thalenfeld
  • Patent number: D454163
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: D461507
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: D470190
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: D479278
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nagel
  • Patent number: D432177
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Trion Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Wildrick