AU2006225258B2 - A suspended poster or sign panel display system and method of accessing and changing a poster or sign panel - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: BP National Design Pty Ltd Actual Inventor: PERRY, Roderick Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Invention Title: "A suspended poster or sign panel display system and method of accessing and changing a poster or sign panel" Details of Associated Provisional Application: AU 2005905521 filed 6 October 2005 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Q \OPER\DH\ARCH 2006'Jul-Dec\278_1 2841140 cap doc - 5/10/06 P :OPER\.DH\12841 140 AU cap doc.04/I06 A SUSPENDED POSTER OR SIGN PANEL DISPLAY SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACCESSING AND CHANGING A POSTER OR SIGN PANEL The Field of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to a suspended poster or sign panel display system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a display system having the ability to display and enable easy retrieval of a poster or sign while it is mounted at a height above the normal reach of persons. The display system may be suitable for displaying images and 10 messages within retail environments such as department stores and supermarkets. Background to the invention Several types of suspended poster and sign panel display systems are known. The 15 particular configuration of each display system uses various means to support the poster and enable retrieval of the poster from a height above the normal reach of persons. A user can therefore replace old posters with new ones. One such configuration comprises a spring loaded device which holds the poster or sign 20 panel suspended from the ceiling. The spring mechanism enables the poster or sign panel to be pulled down to a level where it can be accessed. When the poster or sign panel is released the spring pulls the poster or sign panel back to its original position. The spring loaded mechanism is limited to a very light sign and specific weight for a given 25 spring mechanism that can support and return the sign to the raised position. The spring loaded mechanism is liable to mechanical failure over a long period of time. The spring loaded mechanism also automatically attempts to return the poster or sign panel to its raised position when it is in the lowered position and being fitted with a new poster or sign panel. The creates difficulty for the operator trying to fit the new poster or sign panel in 30 place whilst holding the poster or sign panel support down at the same time.

P.OPER\DHI2841140 AUcapdoc44/10f6 -2 It would therefore be advantageous to provide a suspended poster or sign panel display system that has reduced risk of mechanical failure and will automatically stay in place in both the raised and lowered position and will be easily adjusted to suit various weights of posters and poster frames. 5 Summary of the Invention In accordance with the invention, there is provided a display system including a display section for holding a poster or sign panel and a counterweight arranged to couple to the 10 display section via cable ties which pass over an associated overhead support, wherein the counterweight further includes guides through which the ties running between the display section and the support pass. Preferably, the guides include holes formed in a body of the counterweight. 15 Preferably, the counterweight is in the form of a counterweight rail. The counterweight rail may include a channel on an underside thereof, for receiving the display section. Preferably, the cable ties have a fixed connection relative to the counterweight. Alternatively, the counterweight is adapted to carry pulleys which serve to suspend the 20 counterweight from the respective associated overhead support via the cable ties. Preferably, the counterweight is adapted to receive additional weights to vary the overall weight of the counterweight. 25 Preferably, the overhead supports include at least one runner over which the associated cable ties pass, to suspend the display section and counterweight therefrom. Preferably, the overhead supports are formed integrally with a top rail of the system, which may be adapted to attach to a ceiling or the like. 30 Preferably, the display section includes a bottom rail of the system, to which the poster or P.\OPER\Hl M12841140 AU cap doc-04/106 -3 sign panel is attached. The display section may include a display panel to which the poster or sign is attached. 5 In another broad aspect, there is provided a method for mounting a display section to a counterweight including coupling the display section to the counterweight via an associated overhead support using cable ties, so that the cable ties running between the display section and the support additionally pass through respective guides of the counterweight. 10 In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display system for displaying a poster or sign panel, having a display section, a top rail with two pulley wheels, a counterweight rail, and two cables running over the said pulley wheels connecting the display section with the counterweight rail to enable the display section to 15 be pulled downwards from its raised position or pushed up from its lowered position wherein the cables from the display panel run through the body of the counterweight rail. Preferably, in the raised display position, suitable for public viewing of the poster or sign panel, the display section and the counterweight rail are drawn into contact with one another and any irregular and conflicting angles of the display panel and counterweight rail 20 cancel each other out and are neutralised to ensure the display panel is square and horizontal in the raised display position. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of lowering the display panel of the above-described system, fitting a poster or sign panel to 25 the display panel and re-positioning the display panel to the raised position including the steps of: using a grappling rod having a small hook attached to the rod end which is placed in to a hole or loop being a permanent part of a bottom face of the display panel; 30 pulling the display panel down from a raised position docked against an underside of the P .OPER\D)-I2841 140 AU cap.doc-04/06 -4 counterweight rail to a lowered position; and fitting a poster or sign panel to one or both faces of the. display panel. 5 Fitting a poster or sign panel to one or both faces of the display panel can utilise a proprietary poster or sign panel holding device attached to one or both sides to accommodate posters or sign panels such as magnetic strips or snap frames or supporting channels. Preferably, the method includes pushing the display panel from the lowered position back to the raised position docked against the underside of the counterweight rail. 10 In one embodiment of the present invention, two widely spaced pulleys are attached to the top rail. In another embodiment of the invention, two pulleys are attached to the top rail and two pulleys are attached to the counterweight rail. 15 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the two widely spaced cables fixed to the display section are passed up through two equally widely spaced holes in the counterweight rail and fitted to the wheels of the two equally widely spaced pulleys mounted to the underside of the top rail and returned down to be fixed at two equally widely spaced points on the counterweight rail. 20 In this embodiment the counterweight rail has an equal distance of travel to the display section in the opposite direction requiring a ceiling height that can accommodate a distance that is twice the difference between the raised and lowered positions of the display section plus the vertical length of the display section. 25 In another embodiment of the present invention the two widely spaced cables fixed to the display section are passed up through two equally widely spaced holes in the counterweight rail and fitted to the wheels of the two equally widely spaced pulleys mounted to the underside of the top rail and returned down to be fitted to the wheels of two 30 additional equally widely spaced pulleys mounted to the top of the counterweight rail and returned up to be fixed to the underside of the top rail.

P.\OPER\DHI2841140 AUcapdoc404/1 Of6 -5 In this embodiment the counterweight rail travels only half the distance that the display section travels in the opposite direction requiring a ceiling height that can accommodate a distance that is the difference between the raised and lowered positions of the display 5 section plus an additional half of that distance for the counterweight plus the vertical length of the display section. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the counterweight rail is manufactured in such a way as to allow additional weights to be added to it to balance the weight of 10 various weight display panels that may be suspended from it. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the counterweight rail is configured to allow a cable to run through it vertically at two widely spaced points. 15 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the counterweight rail is manufactured with a slot or channel to its underside to allow the raised display section to dock neatly within the counterweight rail. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top rail is configured to be attached 20 to a ceiling. Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to 25 the accompanying drawings, of which: Figures 1 and 2 illustrate front elevational views of a display system of the preferred embodiment in the raised and lowered positions, respectively. 30 Figure 3 illustrates a front elevational cutaway view of a display system of the preferred embodiment in a transitional position midpoint between the raised and lowered positions P \OPER\DHI2841140 AU cap doc414/106 -6 showing the pulley cables passing through the counterweight rail. Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a display system of the preferred embodiment in the raised and lowered positions. 5 Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of a display system of the preferred embodiment in a transitional position midpoint between the raised and lowered positions. Figure 6 illustrates an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a top rail. 10 Figure 7 illustrates an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a counterweight rail. Figure 8 illustrates an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of a display section. 15 Figure 9 illustrates a front elevational cutaway view of a display system of the preferred embodiment in a transitional position midpoint between the raised and lowered positions showing the pulley cables passing through the counterweight rail. Figure 10 illustrates a front elevational cutaway view of an embodiment of a display 20 system using four pulleys in a transitional position midpoint between the raised and lowered positions showing the pulley wires passing through the counterweight. Figure I1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a display system using four pulleys in the raised and lowered positions. 25 Figure 12 illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of a counterweight rail from a four-pulley system. Figure 13 illustrates an isometric view of an embodiment of a top rail from a four-pulley 30 system.

C.WRPob\DCC\CAB3567316_1.DOC-31/03/2011 -7 Figure 14 is a perspective view of another display system. Figure 15 illustrates various views of a clip used in the system of Figure 14. 5 Figure 16 is a perspective view of a bottom rail of the system of Figure 14. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a counterweight. Figure 18 illustrates various views of an alternative counterweight. 10 Figure 19 shows various views of a counterweight end cap. Figure 20 illustrates a top rail of the system. 15 Figure 21 illustrates various views of a system utilising the alternative counterweight of Figure 18. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment 20 Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the preferred display system embodiment comprises a top rail 1 which can hang from the ceiling 2, two pulley wheels which are fixed to the underside of the top rail 3, two separate lengths of cable 4, each cable 4 fixed 5 at one end to the counterweight 7, and at the other end passing over the top rail pulleys 3 and through guides, preferably in the form of guide holes 6 on the counterweight rail 7, and 25 subsequently through eyelets 11, fixing the cables 4 to the display panel 12. The display system may be constructed from any material which is able to support the display posters or sign panels. More preferably the top rail is aluminium or steel or plastic, the display panel is a polymer or plastic material, the counterweight rail is a polymer or 30 plastic material attractively shaped for a pleasing aesthetic appearance, the pulleys are heavy duty durable plastic or metal with durable metal axles and the cables are a P.\OPER\DH 2841140 AUcapdoc-44/1IO -8 lightweight but strong material such as plastic-coated stainless-steel cable or nylon heavy duty fishing line. The top rail may be of any shape capable of supporting the weight of the poster panel and 5 the counterweight rail. The illustrated top rail comprises a structural bar I having two fixing points 2 to enable easy fixing to a ceiling. The top rail also includes two pulley wheels 3 widely spaced and fixed in such a way as to support the cables 4 connecting the display section which, in this case, is integral with the poster panel 9, to the counterweight rail 7 and ensure the unimpeded free-running of cables 4. 10 The counterweight rail 7 may be of any shape capable of supporting the weight of the display panel 9. The illustrated counterweight comprises a structural bar 7 having two fixing points 5 to enable fixing to the display panel 7 via two cables 4. The cables 4 run over the pulleys 3 that are fixed to the top rail I and return down to run through the display 15 panel guide holes 6 situated in the top of the counterweight 7. The counterweight has two widely spaced guide holes 6 running vertically completely through its body 7 which enable the cable 4 supporting the display panel 9 to feed the display panel 9 into the nesting channel 8 when returning to the raised position. The counterweight rail also comprises a recessed channel 8 at its base running the full length of the counterweight rail 7 which 20 enables the display panel 9 to nest into the underside of the counterweight rail 7 when in the raised position. The weight of the counterweight rail may be varied and adjusted with the use of a heavy-duty strip fixed to the counterweight rail. The display panel 9 may be of any shape capable of supporting a poster or sign panel. 25 The illustrated display panel comprises a structural panel with two widely spaced fixing points on the top edge and one centrally located gripping hole or projection on the bottom edge. 30 The illustrated display panel 9 is connected to the counterweight rail 7 via two widely spaced cables 4 fixed to the top of the display panel 11 running through guide holes 6 in P \OPER\FlI2841140 AU cap doc44/1Of6 -9 the top of the counterweight 7 over the two pulleys 3 on the top rail I and back down to be fixed to the top of the counterweight rail 5. The display panel 9 has at its base a gripping hole 13 or a gripping projection 13 located 5 centrally which enables the display panel 9 to be pulled down and pushed up by an operator using a compatible grabbing device on a pole. In the illustrated embodiment, the poster panel 9 and the poster frame 10 comprises a single unit. In another embodiment the poster 10 or sign 10 may be attached along the top 10 edge of the display panel 9 and hang in the fashion of a banner. In this embodiment the display panel 9 may form an inverted equilateral triangle with the base of the triangle across the top supporting the top edge of the poster or sign and with the apex of the triangle being at the bottom of and protruding below the line of the poster or 15 sign whilst exposing the gripping hole or gripping projection 13. The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed. 20 Alternative systems are, for example, shown in Figures 14 to 21. In Figure 14 a display system 20 is more clearly illustrated as including a display section 21 which is interconnected with a counterweight 22 via cable ties 23, 24 that run over associated supports 25 formed by runners 26 mounted relative to a ceiling or the like (not shown). In 25 this case, however, the display section serves to carry a display panel 27, as opposed to being integrally formed therewith. For that purpose, the display section 21 includes a bottom rail 28 (see Figure 16) that carries clips 29, as shown in Figure 15, which in turn connect with the panel 27. The ties 23, 24 connect directly to eyelets 30 formed in the bottom rail 28. 30 The counterweight 22 is also of a different construction compared to previous Figures but P \OPER\DH\12841140 AU cap doc-04/IOf6 -10 is still formed with guides 40, in the form of holes 41 passing through the counterweight body 42. The body 42 is preferably an aluminium extrusion so as to form a rail 43 which still has a channel 44 along an underside to receive the display section 21. Additionally, the rail 43, can house extra weights 45, if needed. 5 An alternative counterweight construction is shown in Figure 18, in which counterweight 50 is also formed as a counterweight rail 51 but with an additional channel 52 for mounting runners or pulleys therein to provide a pulley arrangement similar to that described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. 10 In either case, the counterweight 22 or 50 is preferably fitted with an end cap 55, such as shown in Figure 19, to close both ends of the respective counterweight rail 43, 51 and provide for a neat aesthetic appearance. 15 With reference to Figure 14 again, the supports 25 may be attached to a ceiling separately, as represented, or be provided in a unitary support rail 60 as shown in Figure 20. The rail 60 includes attachment holes 61 for securing the rail 60 to a ceiling, or the like, and through holes 62 for mounting the runners 26 received within the rail 60. 20 A system 70, which includes the rail 60, as well as the alternative form of counterweight 50 is shown in Figure 21. The system 70 otherwise operates in a manner similar to system 20, except with the additional pulley configuration, as described with reference to Figure 11. 25 Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope. In the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implications, the word "comprise" or variations such 30 as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, ie. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various P kOPER\DHI2941140 AU cap doc4/I10f6 - 11 embodiments of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A display system including a display section for holding a poster or sign panel and a counterweight arranged to couple to the display section via cable ties which pass over 5 an associated overhead support, wherein the counterweight further includes guides through which the ties running between the display section and the support pass.

2. A display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guides include holes formed in a body of the counterweight.

3. A display system as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the counterweight is in the form 10 of a counterweight rail.

4. A display system as claimed in claim 3, wherein counterweight rail may include a channel on an underside thereof, for receiving the display section.

5. A display system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cable ties have a fixed connection relative to the counterweight. 15

6. A display system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the counterweight is adapted to carry pulleys which serve to suspend the counterweight from the respective associated overhead support via the cable ties.

7. A display system as claimed in any one of claims I to 6, wherein the counterweight is adapted to receive additional weights to vary the overall weight of the counterweight. 20

8. A display system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the overhead supports include at least one runner over which the associated cable ties pass, to suspend the display section and counterweight therefrom.

9. A display system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the overhead supports are formed integrally with a top rail of the system, which may be adapted to attach to a 25 ceiling or the like.

10. A display system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the display section P.\OPER\DHII284I140 AU cp doc44/10A6 - 13 includes a bottom rail of the system, to which the poster or sign panel is attached.

11. A display system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the display section includes a panel to which the poster or sign is attached.

12. A display system for displaying a poster or sign panel, having a display section, a top 5 rail with two pulley wheels, a counterweight rail, and two cables running over the said pulley wheels connecting the display section with the counterweight rail to enable the display section to be pulled downwards from its raised position or pushed up from its lowered position wherein the cables from the display panel run through the body of the counterweight rail. 10

13. A display system as claimed in claim 12, wherein in the raised display position, suitable for public viewing of the poster or sign panel, the display section and the counterweight rail are drawn into contact with one another and any irregular and conflicting angles of the display panel and counterweight rail cancel each other out and are neutralised to ensure the display panel is square and horizontal in the raised display 15 position.

14. A method for mounting a display section to a counterweight including coupling the display section to the counterweight via an associated overhead support using cable ties, so that the cable ties running between the display section and the support additionally pass through respective guides of the counterweight. 20

15. A method of lowering a display panel of the display system, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, fitting a poster or sign panel to the display panel and re-positioning the display panel to the raised position including the steps of: using a grappling rod having a small hook attached to the rod end which is placed in to a hole or loop being a permanent part of a bottom face of the display panel; 25 pulling the display panel down from a raised position docked against an underside of the counterweight rail to a lowered position; and fitting a poster or sign panel to one or both faces of the display panel.