Title: Merchandise display and categorical indicators

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Claims: Having described certain forms of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

1. A categorical indicator device on an article display rack, said display rack including a plurality of rows for display of articles, said articles, discretely stackable on said shelves in columns, said shelves slanted downward for gravity feed of said articles, said categorical indicator device adapted to optionally indicate at least one subset of a category matrix of articles, said indicator device comprising indicator means including members having a one-to-one physical relationship with individual members of said category matrix at said columns, storage means for storing the identity of said at least one category subset, selection means for selecting a selected subset of said at least one subset, and control means for energizing selected indicator members associated with said selected subset whereby said selected subset is distinguished from other articles.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said indicator means comprises illuminable electric lamps in physical relationship to said articles in said columns.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said storage means comprises a wired memory including at least one gate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said storage means comprises a digital processor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said digital processor is a microprocessor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said selection means comprises a plurality of command buttons, at least one of said command buttons being effective to select said selected subset.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said control means comprises circulating register means for receiving and storing a predetermined digital pattern from said digital processor and for energizing and de-energizing specific ones of said indicator members according to said predetermined digital pattern.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of indicator members in a row, said storage device containing means for independently energizing at least first and second subsets of said category matrix, said first and second subsets containing at least one common member, and at least first and second command buttons operable to command energization of said first and second subset indicator members.

Other info:

Inventors: Sandelman, Robert M. (New York, NY, US)

Application Number: 960771
Filing Date: 1978-11-15
Publication_date: 1980-11-18
Assignee:
Primary Class(es): 340/825.49 40/573, 116/279, 340/286.02, 340/286.13
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

1219230	Mar, 1917	Blackmore	340/286.
2159925	May, 1939	Wood	340/286.
2204315	Jun, 1940	Levin	340/286.
2455210	Nov, 1948	Anderson	340/286.
2542890	Feb, 1951	Basu	340/154.
3292489	Dec, 1966	Johanson	340/707.
3573792	Apr, 1971	Reed	340/286.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Pitts, Harold I.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Auslander, Thomas & Morrison