Electronic shelf label removal tool
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorEric Letson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Examples provide an electronic shelf label (ESL) removal tool for removing an electronic shelf label from a shelf The tool includes a central body member which is substantially cylindrical. A gripping member is included at a first end of the central body enabling a user to grip the tool. An expansion member at a second end of the central body slides between a shelf rail to expand or increase a distance between the rails. The tool enables the user to remove the ESL from between the rails more easily. A wedge-shaped tab at the second end of the central body fits between one edge of the shelf rail and the edge of the ESL to pry the ESL out from between the rails.
Claims20
A system for removing an electronic shelf label (ESL) from a shelf, the system comprising:
- an ESL removal tool having a central body;
- a wedge member associated with a first end of the central body, the wedge member comprising a tapering edge configured to fit between a portion of an ESL seated within a channel bounded by a set of parallel rails associated with an edge of a shelf and a lip of a rail in the set of parallel rails;
- an expansion member associated with the first end of the central body, the expansion member comprising an oval portion configured to seat beneath the set of parallel rails within the channel and expand a distance between the set of parallel rails to facilitate removal of the ESL from the channel;
- and
- a gripping member associated with a second end of the central body.
A method for removing an ESL from a shelf, the method comprising:
- inserting a wedge member associated with a first end of a central body of an ESL removal tool within a channel bounded by a set of parallel rails associated with an edge of a shelf, the wedge member comprising a tapering edge configured to fit between a portion of the ESL seated within the channel and a lip of a rail in the set of parallel rails and applying upward or downward force to release at least a portion of the ESL from the channel via the wedge member;
- and
- removing the ESL from the channel responsive to releasing the ESL from the channel via the wedge member.
An electronic shelf label (ESL) removal tool comprising:
- a central body which is substantially cylindrical;
- a gripping member at a first end of the central body enabling a user to grip the ESL removal tool;
- a substantially oval expansion member at a second end of the central body for sliding between a parallel set of shelf rails configured to increase a distance between the parallel set of shelf rails;
- and
- a wedge member at the second end of the central body configured to fit between one edge of a shelf rail and an ESL to release the ESL from between the parallel set of shelf rails.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.