LABLE BASE WITH INDICATOR TAB FOR INDUSTRIAL BINS
The present invention provides a label base assembly with an indicator tab that includes a label base assembly having at least one mounting section linked to the major face received in the front section of the bin and opposed retaining sections formed into the rear of the label bearing face. Also provided is an indicator tab having an indicator section and prongs projecting from the indicator section where the prongs slide between the retaining sections of the label base. Also provided is an industrial bin having a front section with opposed L-brackets for use in combination with the label base and indicator tab.
Latest AKRO-MILS Patents:
The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No., entitled “LABEL BASE WITH INDICATOR TAB FOR INDUSTRIAL BINS” and filed Sep. 30, 2013 and listing CHRISTOPHER D. CLARK as Inventor. All aspects of Application No. 61/883,729 are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDA large installed base of bin systems is in use in industrial assembly. Typically, the bins are mounted to a rack system or replaced on a shelf or work surface and are accessible from the front or top. In industrial assembly facilities that include Total Quality Management or Kaizen processes it is useful to include an indicator for low part levels in part bins so that the bin may be refilled in a timely manner to reduce personnel downtime while an empty bin is filled. Various bin systems have been introduced to assist in indicating low part levels. These prior art systems have been difficult to include into with the existing stock of bin systems or have necessitated replacement of a great number of bins in an assembly facility.
SUMMARYIn accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a label base assembly with an indicator tab is provided with a label base assembly having at least one mounting section linked to the major face received in the front section of the bin and opposed retaining sections formed into the rear of the label bearing face. Also provided is an indicator tab having an indicator section and prongs projecting from the indicator section where the prongs slide between the retaining sections of the label base. Also provided is an industrial bin having a front section with opposed L-brackets for use in combination with the label base and indicator tab.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and the many embodiments thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention will now be described with occasional reference to the specific embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth therein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and it not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the contest clearly indicates otherwise.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as molecular weight, reaction conditions, and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained in embodiments of the present invention. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from error found in their respective measurements.
A bin label assembly 10 with an articulable indicator 50 in the extended position is shown in
A bin label assembly 10 with an articulable indicator of the present invention is shown in
The top view of the bin label assembly 10 with an articulable indicator is shown in
The side view of the bin label assembly 10 with an articulable indicator 50 is shown in
The rear face is formed by rear surfaces of mount extensions 22, 26; lateral fins 24, 28 and rear mounting surface 30. A retaining device, such as leaf springs 22a, 26a may be formed on any surface of 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 of the rear surface.
The indicator tab 50 is shown in
While the label base and indicator tab may be formed of any suitable material and by any method, typically the bases are formed of injection molded plastic or metal. Generally the label base will be formed of by injection molding from ABS, acetyl polymers, nylon, or polystyrene (HIPS), polypropylene or polyethylene is or any other suitable polymer. The label may also be made from stamped and formed metal.
Claims
1. A label base assembly with an indicator tab for use with an industrial bin, comprising:
- a label base assembly having: a label bearing face having a front and rear; at least one mounting section linked to the major face; and an indicator tab having: an indicator section; opposed prongs projecting from the indicator section;
- the prongs of the indicator tab sized to slide between the opposed retaining sections of the label base.
2. The label base assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining sections on the label are L-brackets.
3. The label base assembly of claim 1, wherein the label base further comprises:
- ribs between the label bearing face and the mounting sections.
4. The label base assembly of claim 1, wherein the label base further comprises:
- First and section mounting surfaces, each having planar sections of a first thickness having distal and proximal edges and tapered sections on at least the proximal edge.
5. The label base assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining sections on the label are opposed L-brackets spaced at a predetermined distance; and
- the opposed prongs are spaced at a predetermined distance less than the distance between the spaced L-brackets.
6. The label base assembly of claim 6, wherein the opposed prongs include detents and the L-brackets include projections.
7. The label base assembly of claim 6, wherein the opposed prongs include a narrowed section proximate the indicator section.
8. The label base assembly of claim 6, wherein the distal ends of the opposed prongs taper at the tip to ease insertion between the L-brackets.
9. The label base assembly of claim 1, wherein the opposed prongs include a narrowed section proximate the indicator section.
10. The label base assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal ends of the opposed prongs taper at the tip to ease insertion between the L-brackets.
11. An industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab, comprising:
- an industrial bin having a front section with opposed L-brackets;
- a label base assembly having: a label bearing face having a front and rear; at least one mounting section linked to the major face received in the front section of the bin; and an indicator section; opposed prongs projecting from the indicator section; the prongs of the indicator tab sized to slide between the opposed retaining sections of the label base.
12. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 11, wherein the retaining sections on the label are L-brackets.
13. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 11, wherein the label base further comprises:
- ribs between the label bearing face and the mounting sections.
14. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 11, wherein the label base further comprises:
- first and second mounting surfaces, each having planar sections of a first thickness having distal and proximal edges and tapered sections on at least the proximal edge.
15. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 11, wherein the retaining sections on the label are opposed L-brackets spaced at a predetermined distance; and
- the opposed prongs are spaced at a predetermined distance less than the distance between the spaced L-brackets.
16. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 15, wherein the opposed prongs include detents and the L-brackets include projections.
17. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 15, wherein the opposed prongs include a narrowed section proximate the indicator section.
18. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 15, wherein the opposed prongs include a narrowed section proximate the indicator section.
19. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 11, wherein the opposed prongs include a narrowed section proximate the indicator section.
20. The industrial bin and label base assembly with an indicator tab of claim 11, wherein the distal ends of the opposed prongs taper at the tip to ease insertion between the L-brackets.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 1, 2014
Publication Date: May 25, 2017
Applicant: AKRO-MILS (Akron, OH)
Inventor: Christopher D. Clark (Parma, OH)
Application Number: 14/557,443