AU668539B2 - Display with rearrangeable characters - Google Patents

Abstract

A display with rearrangeable characters, for instance for price display at sales points, has a front plate (1) with recesses (7) for mounting rearrangeable digital, rod-shaped elements (2) in the plate (1) and displaying digital characters and a removable rear or locking plate (8) to be fixed onto the plate (1). In their unlocked position, the elements (2) are rotatable in the front plate (1) about a transversal axis (4, 5) in each recess for the display of a desired digital character by means of the colours of the element and with the rod in its resting position in the plate (1). Each element (2) is self-locking in its resting position and secured so as to avoid further rotation in this position by the rear plate (8), thus together with adjacent elements (2) showing the desired character as an unbroken whole.

Description

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OPI DATE 15/08/94 APPLN. ID 34921/93 AOJP DATE 27/10/94 PCT NUMBER PCT/DK93/00025 11111Il III Illllll IIII II111 AU9334921

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(51) International Patent Classifcation 5 (11) International Publication Number: WO 94/17510 G09F 9/37 Al (43) International Publication Date: 4 August 1994 (04.08.94) (21) International Application Number: PCT/DK93/00025 (81) Designated States: AU, CA, FI, JP, NO, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, (22) International Filing Date: 25 January 1993 (25.01.93) PT, SE).

(71)(72) Applicant and Inventor: JENSEN, Palle, Licht [DK/DK]; Published Backersvej 142, DK-2300 Copenhagen S With international search report.

(74) Agent: LEHMANN REE A/S; Grundtvigsvej 37, DK-1864 Frederiksberg C (DK).

(54) Title: DISPLAY WITH REARRANGEABLE CHARACTERS (57) Abstract A display with rearrangeable characters, for instance for price display at sales points, has a front plate with recesses for mounting rearrangeable digital, rod-shaped elements in the plate and displaying digital characters and a removable rear or locking plate to be fixed onto the plate In their unlocked position, the elements are rotatable in the front plate about a transversal axis 5) in each recess for the display of a desired digital character by means of the colours of the element and with the rod in its resting position in the plate Each element is self-locking in its resting position and secured so as to avoid further rotation in this position by the rear plate thus together with adjacent elements showing the desired chanracer as an unbroken whole.

r -r II i- I- WO 94117510 PCT1TDK93100025 1 Displa with Rearranqeable Characters The present invention relates to a display device with rearrangeable characters, such as a price display at sales points, or other displays, where a quick and simple change of the characters is desirable, so that a change of the display may be readily performed without the need for any loose signs, writing utensils or the like.

Such displays have become increasingly popular, especially as digital figures and letters are commonly used. The figures and letters are created on the basis of a number of basic elements which are activated individually and together form the individual character.

The use of digital figures is commonly known from displays in CPUs, telephones and certain types of watches (digital watches), where the individual figure section contains seven elements which may be activated electronically so as to form a combination showing a figure in the range of 0 to 9. A corresponding display of letters is also possible, but requires a slightly larger number of basic elements to be able to display any letter in the alphabet.

When using displays which are not electronically controlled, such as price displays at sales points, it may be advantageous to use digital displays which by means of elements built into or embedded in the display can create any desired character through manual activation of each individual element. Displays of this type are e.g. known from US-A-3740878, in which the individual character is created by means of a number of small squares in contrasting colours. The squares pivot on vertical shafts and form together a rectangular surface. The displaying of characters is effected by rotating squares of identical contrasting colour into horizontal and vertical directions in the rectangle so as to form edged characters, preferably figures. The front plate of the display with the. rectangles and the rotatable squares may after adjustment into the desired signs be locked to a rear plate so as to prevent further rotation of the squares. However, the display device according to US-A-3740878 is not suitable for displaying digital characters, and it is not particularly suitable for indoor price displaying, where it is not particularly suitable for indoor price displaying, where WO 94/17510 PCT/DK93/00025 2 the price displays should be relatively small and easy to read.

Another display, which is also primarily intended for outdoor use and therefore also of a relatively large and complex structure is described in US-A-4411084. The characters of this display are constituted by elements, which may be rotated on center axes and which after the rotation into the desired character may be locked in this position by means of special locking plates with recesses. The locking plates may be bolted to a rear plate. The rotation and the locking of the desired signs is thus complicated, and although in principle the display shows digital characters these characters suffer from the obvious drawback that the individual elements do not abut against each other at their respective ends. This display is not suitable as a small-scale price display, e.g. for indoor use in retail shops, etc, either.

In Danish patent application No. 5397/87 a sign containing e.g. a number of characters each consisting of seven basic elements is described in which character each segment has the shape of a flat stick, and where the individual elements at either end are tapering and secured to the substrate of the character by means of a pivot, in that the front surface of.the element in its resting position is substantially in plane with the substrate. One flat side of the element has the same colour as the substrate, and the other flat side of the element is provided with a contrasting colour. When an element is to be activated so as to form part of a figure, the rod is rotated manually about its longitudinal axis so that the side of the element with the contrasting colour appears, and in this way each invididual element is activated so as to form a combination of elements showing the desired figure. A deletion of the figure is effected by displaying the side of the element having the same colour as the substrate.

A considerable drawback of this sign is that the tapering shape of the end of each element in connection with the pivotable securing of the rod to the substrate, likewise at each end of the element, makes it impossible to obtain a complete abutment of the elements at their oblique ends when displaying a figure. Consequently, a disturbing gap revealing part of the surface of the plate occurs, and therefore -3the character does not appear as an entity. Another drawback is that it is difficult to combine a self-locking device with the ball coupling between an element and a substrate at each rod end. Such self-locking device should prevent the individual element from being inadvertently rotated which would result in an error on the display.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a manually operated display with changeable digital characters and to eliminate the drawbacks dealt with in connection with the above prior art.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a display device with rearrangeable characters adapted for displaying e.g. digital figures and letters, said display comprising a substantially planar front plate with a number of openings and a number of corresponding, pivotable character elements embedded in the front plate, each character element comprising a first and a second display surface with different colours and being adapted to be rotatable by manual manipulation between two display positions, a first display position wherein the element is c' early distinct from the i: front plate by the colour of the first display surface and a second display position wherein the element is integrated into the front plate by the colour of the second display S' surface, o 20 and a rear plate with interference fit and/or locking devices for being releasably secured onto the front plate whereby to lock the character elements in their selected display positions, characterised in that the openings in the front plate leave center areas, each center area being connected to the remaining part of the front plate or to an adjacent 25 center area by shafts serving as pivots for character elements, in that each element consists of a pair of complementary members of a plastics :j material which are assembled by means of projections in one member and corresponding holes in the other member so as to form between opposing inner surfaces of the members of the pair a cavity adapted to receive the shaft of the front plate, and in that the character elements are formed at their respective ends so that they may substantially abut against each other, thereby providing an integral displaying of a character. 3RA ^960124,q:\oprcigcp,34921.c,3

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3a The particular feature of the present invention is a display with easily changeable, selflocking, easily readable digital characters, which display is inexpensive and relatively small and therefore particularly suitable for indoor use, e.g. in retail shops.

The invention will now be further explained with reference to the accompanying, nonlimiting drawings, which show an example of an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a display according to the invention, ready to use; Fig. 2 shows the front plate of the display, where the character elements have been removed; Fig. 3 shows a character element consisting of two complementary elements; Fig. 4 shows the rear or locking plate of the display; Fig. 5 is an enlarged, longitudinal and sectional view through a mounted element in its ".resting position in the front plate; and e i 20 Fig. 6 is also an enlarged and longitudinal view through a mounted element, which has been rotated into a position perpendicular to the front plate.

In the described example a price display device comprising three 7-segment digital figures and a point has been employed.

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11! 960124,q:\opei\gcp,34921.c,3 1 i WO 94/17510 PCT/DK93100025 4 In Fig. 1 the reference numeral 1 designates the front plate of the display, and which is made of a material suitable for displays, e.g.

nylon with glass. The reference numeral 2 designates an individual element, and 3 designates a point. The elements have on their first flat side the same colour as the front plate, and on their second, flat side they have a contrasting colour, so that the individual element in its resting position in the front plate either forms an integrated part of or is clearly distinct from the front plate as far as the colour is concerned.

As shown in Fig. 2, the front plate 1 has recesses 7 which for each figure portion in the plate leaves center areas 6 and rods which connect the centre area with the remaining part of the front plate 1 or with the adjacent center area 6. The shape of the recesses 7 corresponds to that of the elements 2 in their mounted position, which will appear from a comparison between Figs. 1 and 2. The crosssectional shape of the rods 4,5 is close to elliptical, vide Figs. 5 and 6, which will be explained in greater detail below.

Fig. 3 shows an individual element consisting of two complementary members 12,12' of a plastics material, e.g. impact-proof styrene or ABS. Each member has at one end a hole 15 for a projection 16' on the complementary member and correspondingly a projection 16 at the other end, which projection 16 fits into a hole 15' in the complementary member. Both members are provided with a transversal groove 13, and the members form together, when the element is mounted in the plate 1, a bearing for the rod 4. Thus, the rod 4 becomes a transversal shaft, on which the element may be rotated. Furthermore, each element has internal protrusions 14,14', 17,17' at its ends, which protrusions in pairs of two abut against each other, when the E ~element is mounted. The assembly of two members to each other into an element in its assembled position around the transversal shaft 4 is preferably carried out by means of ultrasonic welding, as other mounting methods, such as interference fit, may be employed dependent on the size of the element. The end shapes of the assembled element 2 are such that the end of an element without any gap abuts on the corresponding end of an adjacent element when the elements are embedded in the plate 1 so as to form the desired character.

This will be obvious from Fig. 1.

i i Y WO 94/17510 PCTDK93100025 When the elements are in the desired position showing the characters on the plate 1, any further rotation of the elements may be prevented by means of a rear or locking plate 8 of the same material as the plate, cf. Fig. 4, which rear or locking plate 8 by means of a flange 10 and a locking hook 9 may be fixed onto the plate 1. In the rear or locking plate 8 weight reducing recesses 11 are formed so that the remaining plate portions prevent inadvertent rotation of the elements 2, when the rear plate 8 is arranged on the front plate i.

As shown on Figs. 5 an c 1 he individual element 2 is self-locking in the embedded position (resting position) in the plate i with the element assembled around its rotating shaft 4. The aelf-locking has been obtained in the following manner: The shaft 4, which is cast or punched integrally with the plate 1, has a circular crosssection and is bevelled in such a way that the shaft has flat sides forming surfaces, which are parallel with the front and rear sides of the plate 1. The crosssection of the shaft thereby becomes almost elliptical, and the great axis is parallel to the plane of the plate 1, while the small axis ib perpendicular to the plate. Each member 12,12' has an inner recess, the lower surfaces 19,19' of which in the assembled (welded) element 2 in its embedded position in the plate 1 abut firmly against the bevelled surfaces of the shaft 4. To further ensure the abutment against the bevelled surfaces of the shaft 4 the recess surfaces 19,19' may be provided with grooves 13 (see Fig. 3) in the transversal direction of the element. The grooves 13 are not shown in Figs. 5 and 6. If the rod is rotated it' manually out of its embedded position into a position perpendicular to the plate i, see Fig. 6, the lower surfaces 19,19' will slide along and onto the curved surfaces of the shaft 4, and at the same time the inner gap formed by the recesses between the members 12,12' i is slightly expanded, which the resiliency of the material allows, and a spring tension exerted on the shaft 4 is generated in the two members 12,12'. If the rotation of the element 2 is continued until it reaches its embedded position in the plate again the spring tension will urge the surfaces 19,19' in the members into firm abutment with the bevelled surfaces of the shaft 4 with a small click.

i 1 WO 94/17510 PCT/DK93/00025 6 As will readily appear from Figs. 5 and 6 the manual rotation of an element into the desired character on the plate 1 may take place in both directions about the shaft 4.

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Claims (7)

1. A display device with rearrangeable characters adapted for displaying e.g. digital figures and letters, said display comprising a substantially planar front plate with a number of openings and a number of corresponding, pivotable character elements embedded in the [-ont plate, each character element comprising a first and a second display surface with different colours and being adapted to be rotatable by manual manipulation between two display positions, a first display position wherein the element is clearly distinct from the front plate by the colour of the first display surface and a second display position wherein the element is integrated into the front plate by the colour of the second display surface, and a rear plate with interference fit and/or locking devices for being releasably secured onto the front plate whereby to lock the character elements in their selected display positions, characterise" in that the openings in the front plate leave center areas, each center area being connected to the remaining part of the front plate or to an adjacent center area by shafts serving as pivots for character elements, in that each element consists of a pair of complementary members of a plastics material which are assembled by means of projections in one member and corresponding e 'holes in the other member so as to form between opposing inner surfaces of the members of the pair a cavity adapted to receive the shaft of the front plate, and in that the character elements are formed at their respective ends so that they may substantially abut against each other, thereby providing an integral displaying of a character. 4i. I

2. A display device according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the shafts in the openings is on its forwardly and rearwardly facing parts in relation to the plane of the display bevelled so that the shaft has plane side portions parallel with the plane of the front plate, and in that each character elements comprises resilient material capable of providing |V 960124,q:\opcr\gcp,34921.c,7 I -8- a spring tension and portions formed to abut firmly against the plane side portions of the shaft while the element is in either of its display positions, and to abut on other portions of the shaft when the element is in any other position whereby the resilient material of said element will be deformed against the action of the spring tension.

3. A display device according to claim 2, characterised in that the cavity in each element has such a height that the opposing inner surfaces of the cavity in the clement when in its resting position abut firmly against the bevelled, plane sides of the shaft and that the element material is of such a resiliency that the clement, when rotated into a position perpendicular to the front plate, increases the height of the cavity against a spring tension in the material so that the inner surfaces slide upwards onto the curved parts of the shaft.

4. A display device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the shafts are bevelled so that the shafts have a substantially elliptical cross-section, where th,. great axis of the ellipse is parallel to the plane of the front plate and where the small axis of the ellipse is perpendicular to the plane of the plate.

A display device according to any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that L: the members constituting the pivotable character are formed by casting of a resilient I material, such as styrene, ABS or a similar plastics material, and in that the projections and holes in the members are positioned in adjacent, inward protrusions. 4' M

6. A display device according to any one of the claims 1 through 5, characterised in that a transversal groove is provided in each member on the opposing inner surfaces of the cavity, which groove functions as a bearing for the shaft when the element is mounted around the transversal shaft in the front plate. -9-

7. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. a a. *t S -l 4 4 t S S 4 a. I C C S.C S *C S S C DATED this 24th day of January, 1996 PALLE LIGHT JENSEN By his Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE

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