AU2012100287A4

AU2012100287A4 - Pivoting display sign

Info

Publication number: AU2012100287A4
Application number: AU2012100287A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Matt Clegg
Original assignee: Advantage Line Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Advantage Line Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-03-16
Filing date: 2012-03-16
Publication date: 2012-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-16

Abstract

A display sign comprising a display panel and a support for supporting said display panel in a normally vertical position. The display panel is rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation 5 passing through pivots. A catch means is provided for normally holding the display panel in the normally vertical position, and the catch means is adapted to release said display panel to allow rotation thereof about the axis when a force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to the display panel. /-15 x F-5 Fig. 1

Description

1 PIVOTING DISPLAY SIGN TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The present invention relates to a display sign, and more particularly to a pivoting display sign. BACKGROUND 10 The use of portable outdoor display signs is well known. They are typically used for advertising, sales and providing information. In order to be portable these signs are preferably of a size and weight to permit easy set-up and removal. Because they are portable and used outdoors, many of these display signs lack stability and 15 can easily be dislodged and/or damaged by strong winds. When such display signs are constructed of lightweight materials they overturn easily. Whilst displays signs of heavier construction are more stable, they become more difficult to set-up and remove. Where strong winds occur, even a heavier display sign may still overturn. 20 It is known to provide an outdoor display sign with a display panel that is free to pivot about an axis in response to wind forces. While this permits somewhat lighter construction, such signs require significant counterweights. The portion of the panel below the axis of rotation is made considerably heavier, typically two to three times heavier, than the portion above to enable the display panel to return to a full upright (normally vertical) position, after being 25 deflected by wind. A disadvantage of the abovementioned pivoting display sign is in its large weight and the delay or inability of having the display panel readily return to the normally vertical position. This is because when the wind load is erratic or ceases, the panel may continue to swing through the vertical position, and/or be subjected to a "pendulum effect". Under a steady light strength wind load the display panel may be forced away from the 30 normally vertical position and tend to stay out an angle, thereby making the information on the display panel difficult to read by passersby.

2 One attempt to overcome this problem is described in US Patent 4912865 (Ellsworth et al), where a display sign uses a multi-axis pivoting arrangement. The display sign is able to pivot in a first direction about a first axis of rotation, and second direction about a second axis of rotation. It also has a stop to prevent the panel from rotating more than ninety degrees in either 5 direction. In order to achieve this, a complicated pivot arrangement employing pins and grooves is required. This complicated pin and groove arrangement adds cost to the sign, and the display sign may still require additional weight in the lower portion of the panel to work correctly. The present invention seeks to overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art. 10 SUMMARY OF INVENTION In a first aspect, the present invention consists of a display sign comprising: (i) a display panel; is (ii) a support for supporting said display panel in a normally vertical position, said support comprising first and second horizontally spaced apart pivots, said display panel rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation passing through said pivots; and (iii) a catch means for normally holding said display panel in said normally vertical position, wherein said catch means is adapted to release said display panel to allow rotation thereof 20 about said axis when a force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to said display panel. Preferably said display panel is weighted at or near its lower end, so that under normal conditions gravity urges said display panel to said normally vertical position to be caught and 25 held by said catch means. Preferably said display panel having a frame surrounding at least a portion thereof, said support has a base for supporting said display panel, and first and second side supports mounted on said base, said first and second pivots being respectively disposed on said frame 30 and connected to said first and second side supports. Preferably said catch means comprises at least one magnet cooperating with at least one steel component associated with said display panel.

3 In a second aspect, the present invention consists of a display sign comprising: (i) a normally vertical display panel having first and second sides and at least one exposed face, between the sides for information, said display panel having a metallic frame surrounding at least a lower portion thereof; 5 (ii) a base for supporting the display panel via said frame; (iii) first and second side supports mounted on said base and positioned adjacent corresponding said first and second sides respectively, and (iv) first and second horizontally spaced apart pivots connecting said frame to said first and second side supports, and said display panel rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of 10 rotation passing through said pivots; and wherein at least one magnet is disposed at or near the base so that under the influence of gravity and by magnetic attraction between said magnet and said frame, said display panel is maintained in a normally vertical position until a force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to said display panel to overcome said magnetic attraction and influence of gravity and allow said display panel to rotate about said axis. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a display sign in accordance with the present invention. 20 Fig. 2 is a front view of the display sign shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the display sign shown in Fig. 1. 25 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the display sign shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the display sign shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 6 is a reduced exploded view of the display sign shown in Fig. 1. 30 Fig. 7 is a reduced exploded view of the leg assembly of the display sign shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a reduced exploded view of the frame of the display sign shown in Fig. 1.

4 Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of the display sign shown in Fig. 1, where the panel is swinging due a wind load applied from the front. 5 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figs. 1 to 9 show a preferred embodiment of an outdoor display sign 1 in accordance with the present invention. Display sign 1 comprises a base 2, a normally vertical display panel 3, first 10 and second spaced apart side supports 4 and 5 mounted on said base 2, and extending along, respectively, sides 6 and 7 of display panel 3. Display panel 3 is secured to a three sided frame 11, made up of side frame members 11 a and 11 b and a lower frame member 1 Ic, connected by right angle connectors 20 ( see Fig 8), 15 made of steel. First and second horizontally spaced apart pivot pins 8 and 9 on frame 11 engage with side supports 4 and 5 respectively for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation X. Side supports 4 and 5 are preferably made of extruded aluminium, and have respective pivot 20 caps 14 and 15, preferably made of plastic, slidably fitted thereto. Display panel 3 is preferably made of corrugated plastic such as polypropylene, and frame members 1 la, 11 b and 1 Ic are preferably made of U-shaped extruded aluminium sections. 25 Pivot pins 8 and 9 are disposed respectively on pivot mounts 18 and 19, preferably of moulded plastic, which are fitted to frame 11. Pivot pins 8 and 9 engage with respective holes in pivot caps 14 and 15. Thumb screws 28 fitted to respective pivot mounts 18 and 19 are used to secure panel 3 to 30 frame 11. Base 2 is a leg assembly comprising a central member 30, preferably of extruded aluminium interconnecting leg members 31 and 32, preferably made of aluminium. Each leg member 31, 5 32 has two spaced apart feet 61, 62. Each leg member 31, 32 has a respective aperture 34, 35 into which the respective side supports 4 and 5 are mounted. Each of feet 61, 62 has a "substantially circular footprint" whose diameter is substantially 5 larger than the width of the remaining part of the leg member 31 or 32 that connects them. The four spaced apart feet 61, 62 of base 2 provide display sign 1, with substantial stability. Each foot 61, 62 has a substantially circular upper aperture 41 which is adapted to receive a push fitted cap 42 made of plastic. It should be understood that caps 42 could be moulded with a branding or other indicia means on their upper surface. 10 Rare earth magnets 51 and 52 are fitted respectively to the underside of respective leg members 31 and 32, near where the central member 30 connects to each leg member 31 and 32, as best seen in Fig. 7. Members 31, 32 are made of relatively thin aluminium in the region where magnets 51, 52 are respectively disposed, and as such the magnetic attraction provided is thereby is strong enough to act on metallic components in close proximity thereto. Frame 11 provides panel 3 with a weighted lower end, so that under the normal effect of gravity, frame 11 will assume the "normally vertical position" of the display sign 1 as shown in Fig. 1. In this orientation magnets 51 and 52 (which are disposed within the regions M of 20 base 2) are magnetically attracted to the steel connectors 20 within the bottom of frame 11, thus under normal conditions of no or low wind load (force) they prevent panel 3 from rotating about axis X. Should a wind load be applied to display sign 1 and in particular to panel 3, which is sufficient 25 to overcome the magnetic attraction between magnets 51, 52 and frame 11, panel 3 will be released and able to swing as shown in Fig. 9, thereby minimising the risk of display sign 1 falling over. When the wind load drops off to a minimal amount or ceases, and panel 3 swings back towards the "normally vertical position", the attraction between magnets 51 and 52 and frame 11 will cause the panel 3 to readily return to and be held in the normally vertical 30 position. An advantage of the abovementioned embodiment over the prior art, is that the wind load must be greater than some predetermined amount to first overcome the magnetic attraction, thereby 6 allowing panel 3 to swing to avoid falling over. This means low wind loads will not cause panel 3 to swing unnecessarily. Furthermore, should panel 3 swing, the magnetic attraction between magnets 51, 52 and frame 11 assists in minimizing swing through the normal position and/or the "pendulum effect", which is a problem with some of the prior art. 5 It should be understood that in the abovementioned embodiment magnets 51,52 act as a "catch means" acting on frame 11, in which a wind load must be greater than a predetermined amount before the catch means releases frame 11 and allows panel 3 to swing (pivot). It should be understood that in other not shown embodiments other catch means employing mechanical 10 arrangements and/or bias means could be used, which would hold frame 11 and panel 3 in the normally vertical position until a wind load greater than a predetermined amount was applied, and then release the frame 11 to allow panel 3 to swing. Such a catch means, like the magnets of the abovementioned embodiment would re-engage frame 11 when the wind load ceased. 15 It should be understood that various other modifications could be made to the abovementioned embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, thumb screws 28 of the abovementioned embodiment may in a not shown embodiment be replaced with a camlock mechanism for securing panel 3 to frame 11. It should also be understood that various different materials could be used than those in the abovementioned 20 embodiment. For example leg members 31, 32 of the abovementioned embodiment could be made of plastic rather than aluminium. The terms "comprising" and "including" (and their grammatical variations) as used herein are used in an inclusive sense and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'. 25

Claims

1. A display sign comprising: (i) a display panel; 5 (ii) a support for supporting said display panel in a normally vertical position, said support comprising first and second horizontally spaced apart pivots, said display panel rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation passing through said pivots; and (iii) a catch means for normally holding said display panel in said normally vertical position, wherein said catch means is adapted to release said display panel to allow 10 rotation thereof about said axis when a force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to said display panel.

2. A display sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display panel is weighted at or near its lower end, so that under normal conditions gravity urges said display panel to said 15 normally vertical position to be caught and held by said catch means.

3. A display sign as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein said display panel having a frame surrounding at least a portion thereof, said support has a base for supporting said display panel, and first and second side supports mounted on said base, said first and second pivots 20 being respectively disposed on said frame and connected to said first and second side supports.

4. A display sign as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein said catch means comprises at least one magnet cooperating with at least one steel component associated with said display panel. 25

5. A display sign comprising: (i) a normally vertical display panel having first and second sides and at least one exposed face, between the sides for information, said display panel having a metallic frame surrounding at least a lower portion thereof; (ii) a base for supporting the display panel via said frame; 30 (iii) first and second side supports mounted on said base and positioned adjacent corresponding said first and second sides respectively, and (iv) first and second horizontally spaced apart pivots connecting said frame to said first and second side supports, and said display panel rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation passing through said pivots; and wherein at least one magnet is disposed at 8 or near the base so that under the influence of gravity and by magnetic attraction between said magnet and said frame, said display panel is maintained in a normally vertical position until a force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to said display panel to overcome said magnetic attraction and influence of gravity and allow said display panel to s rotate about said axis.