AU668711B2 - Means for placing information/advertising on a fuel dispensing nozzle of a petrol dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for placing information/advertising (1) on the filler gun (2) of a fuel pump, comprising a carrying body (3) having at least one display surface (4) for said information/advertising placed over the head of said gun. The carrying body (3) extends in the longitudinal direction of the gun head and comprises an attachment component (5) which grips around the whole of or part of said gun head and/or the barrel of the gun. The attachment component (5) comprises, in a simple embodiment, an attachment band (5a) fixed to the underside of the carrying body (3) by means of expedient means, e.g., an eye/groove (6). The display surface (4) of the carrying body (3) lies in a recess (11) for the accommodation of the information/advertising label (1), which can be protected by means of a transparent cover plate (12) having pins (13) which interact with securing apertures (14) in an upwardly projecting edge (10) which forms the recess (11). <IMAGE> <IMAGE> <IMAGE>

Description

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I- I IU; U IIIP-nrBYC s~I ~ll- 1P CPI DATE 01/09/93 AOJP DATE 28/10/93 APPLN. ID 35767/93 IIH lIIIIIIIIIII lii t1 11 1 PCT NUMBER PCT/N093/00021 AU9335767

(PCT)

(51) International Patent Classification 5 (11) International Publication Number: WO 93/15493 GO9F 3/08 Al (43) International Publication Date: 5 August 1993 (05.08.93) (21) International Application Number: PCT/NO93/00021 (81) Designated States: AT, AU, BB, BG, BR, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, GB, HU, JP, KP, KR, LK, LU, MG, (22) International Filing Date: 3 February 1993 (03.02.93) MN, MW, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SK, UA, US, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OAPI pa- Priority data: tent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, ML, MR, SN, 920434 3 February 1992 (03.02.92) NO TD, TG).

921637 28 April 1992 (28.04.92) NO 921763 5 May 1992 (05.05.92) NO 922580 30 June 1992 (30.06.92) NO Published With international search report.

In English translation (filed in Nonvegian).

(71X72) Applicant and Inventor: ALVERN, Stein [NO/NO]; Munkerudveien 61c, N-1165 Oslo (NO).

(74) Agent: HOLM, Ellen; Bryns Patentkontor A/S, P.O. Box 765, Sentrum, N-0106 Oslo (NO).

nt VQ6687 (54)Title: MEANS FOR PLACING INFORMATION/ADVERTISING ON A FUEL DISPENSING NOZZLE OF A PE- TROL DISPENSING APPARATUS 1

GAS

-13 12 93-95-97 4 0 A 3h s -I (57) Abstract A device for placing information/advertising on the filler gun of a fuel pump, comprising a carrying body having at least one display surface for said information/advertising placed over the head of said gun. The carrying body extends in the longitudinal direction of the gun head and comprises an attachment component which grips around the whole of or part of said gun head and/or the barrel of the gun. The attachment component comprises, in a simple embodiment, an attachment band (5a) fixed to the underside of the carrying body by means of expedient means, an eye/groove The display surface of the carrying body lies in a recess (11) for the accommodation of the information/advertising label which can be protected by means of a transparent cover plate (12) having pins (13) which interact with securing apertures (14) in an upwardly projecting edge (10) which forms the recess (11).

a -1- MEANS FOR PLACING INFORMATION/ADVERTISING ON A FUEL DISPENSING NOZZLE OF A PETROL DISPENSING APPARATUS The present invention relates to a device for placing information/advertising on the filler gun of a fuel pump. The device includes a carrying body placed on the head of the gun and having at least one display surface for the information/advertising.

The affixing of information on the head of a filler gun is known from, for example, US Patent No. 5.058.637 where a securing means in the form of an elastic stocking is fed onto the filler gun, the stocking is equipped with a display surface for information or advertising, which surface is covered by a transparent cover. The display surface in this io arrangement is circular and is limited to only a small part of the gun head and the space available for information and/or advertising is limited. Further, the actual method of securing the display surface, which comprises a flexible dead mould cast sleeve, restricts the use of a device of this kind to filler guns which have a special form. This problem can, of course, be solved by manufacturing sleeves of different forms adapted to fit filler guns of different shapes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for placing information/advertising on the head of a filler gun, which substantially overcomes or ameliorates one or more of the disadvantages of a limited display surface referred to hereinabove.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus attachable to the filler gun of a fuel pump of the kind having a conventional gun head with a handle and a gun barrel for displaying on said filler gun one or more graphic messages readily viewable by the user, including; ,a carrying body which, while attached to the filler gun, extends from approximately the junction of the gun barrel with the gun head to approximately the foremost edge of the "s handle of the gun head, t said carrying body including a display surface for said one or more messages, said display surface, when said carrying body is attached to the filler gun, extending longitudinally along the filler gun from approximately the junction of the gun head with the gun barrel to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, and means for detachably securing said carrying body to the filler gun.

-2- Further, the present invention provides apparatus attachable to the filler gun of a fuel pump of the kind having a conventional gun head and gun barrel for displaying on said filler gun one or more graphic messages readily viewable by the user including; a carrying body which, while attached to the filler gun, extends from approximately the junction of the gun barrel with the gun head to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, said carrying body supporting a display surface for said one or more messages, said display surface, when said carrying body is attached to the filler gun extending longitudinallly along the filler gun from approximately the junction of the gun head with the gun barrel to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, said carrying body having a forward portion and a rearward portion which are pivotally interconnected by a hinge portion, both said forward and rearward portions each having an upstanding skirt portion, said skirt portion being split from either end of the hinge and extending to the edge of the skirt.

A larger display surface, with space for both information and advertising, is thus provided in that the display surface of the carrying body extends over a substantial part of the length of the head of the gun.

I As disclosed in the subsequent description of the drawings, the securing

I

component may include an attachment band fixed to the underside of the carrying body by j :~20 means of suitable means such as adhesives, welding or mechanical fixing wherein the i;c attachment band is fixed to the carrying body by means of an eye/groove provided on the underside of the carrying body. The attachment band may also be in the form of a hose clip.

i The attachment band may also consist of two arms which form an integrated part of the carrying body, the ends of the arms being optionally furnished with a barb, and also a S throughgoing screw with nuts being arranged between the carrying body and the gun head, which press the arms against the gun head.

These and other features of the invention will be described ip more detail in the following description of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 illustrates a carrying body with a display surface and an attachment band fixed to its underside; Figure 2 depicts a transparent cover for mounding on top of an information and vertising sticker positioned on the display surface;

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-3- Figure 2a depicts a sticker for use in the device of Figure 2; Figure 3 illustrates a carrying body with two display surfaces angled with respect to each other; Figure 4 depicts a transparent cover designed for contact with the whole of the display surface; Figure 4a shows an information and advertising sticker adapted to fit an extra long display surface; Figure 5 illustrates the carrying body with a downwardly projecting skirt for enveloping the sides of the gun head and with an opening for interaction with the gun barrel; Figure 6, shows the back of the display surface and the skirt shown in Figure which is pivotally attached to the front and can be secured in an angular position by securing means; Figure 7 illustrates the front of the carrying body according to Figure Figure 8 shows an attachment band of the tension adjusting kind; Figure 9 shows a filler gun seen from the side, and Figure 10, shows a carrying body with two resilient clamps fixed to the underside thereof.

Figures 1 and 2 thus show in perspective view a flat carrying body 3 with a display surface 4 surrounded by an upwardly projecting edge 10, whereby a recess 11 is formed for accommodating information/advertising 1 in the form of a sheet of paper or card of the kind illustrated in Figure 2a. A transparent cover 12 having securing members 13 in the form of projecting lugs can be placed in the recess 11 on top of the information /advertising label 1 and is secured by the lugs being brought into engagement with C complementary securing members 14 in the form of openings in the upwardly projecting edge 10. It is shown clearly in the drawing that the carrying body, and thus the sheet containing information/advertising, is elongate, which gives rise to a large display area 4 e which WO 93/15493 PCT/NO93/00021 4 extends in the longitudinal direction of the gun head 2a approximately from the rear edge 2b' of the gun barrel 2b at the foremost edge 2a' of the gun head 2a and backwards to the foremost edge 2c' of the handle 2c of the gun head 2a, Figure 9. This display surface 4 can contain clear information regarding, for example, the quality and brand of the fuel on one part, and an advertisment on the other part.

The attachment component 5 of the carrying body 3 comprises an attachment band 5a fixed to the underside of the carrying body 3 by means of an eye/groove 6. The eye/groove 6 may optionally be grooved on the side which faces down towards the filler gun.

The attachment band 5a may, of course, optionally be attached to the underside of the carrying body 3 by any kind of means whatsoever such as adhesives or welding. The attachment band may consist of a tension adjusting band where one end of Wse sa-id-band comprises a leading-in means for securing the other end of the band when it is fed in and tightened. The attachment band 5a can also be made of a hose clip secured to 0 the underside of the carrying body 3. These various forms of attachment bands are designed first and foremost to grip the foremost part of the gun head 2a or around the barrel 2b of the filler gun 2. On moderate tightening of the attachment band, the carrying body will be held secure in the correct position on the head 2a of the gun.

The attachment component 5 can, in a special design not shown in the drawing, consist of a sleeve attached to the underside of the carrying body 3 which is designed to be fed onto the gun barrel 2b thereby holding the carrying body in a fixed position on the gun head. The sleeve can be elastic thereby being provided with a lam effect which reinforces the holding effect.

aid-sleeve can be made in a special way as shown in Figures 6 and 7 where the carrying body 3 is made with a skirt 7 which projects downwardly from the display surface 4 in order to envelop the sides of the gun head 2a and having an opening 5b, the function of which corresponds to that of the aforementioned sleeve, which constitutes attachment component 5 in the skirt 7. The opening 5b is arranged at one end 3a of the carrying body 3 to enable the carrying body to be fed onto the gun barrel 2b and optionally onto the foremost end of the gun head 2a.

The back 3b of the carrying body 3 is attached to the forward part 3a thereof so as to be upwardly pivotal via a hinge 8 across the display surface 4. The skirt 7 is split at this point, the split extending from each end of the hinge 8 and out to the edge 7a of the skirt and releasable securing members 9 are arranged in the facing splits in the skirt 7. In this way the back 3b can be pivoted downwards in the mounted position on the filler gun and interlock with the back of the gun head 2a. In this design of the carrying body 3, the display surface will be divided into two surfaces 4a, 4b, each of which can carry appropriate information/advertising. This design of the carrying body 3 thus provides a Ii display surface 4 which extends over a substantial part of the length of the gun head 2a.

A corresponding elongate display surface 4 consisting of two part surfaces 4a, 4b angled with respect to each other is shown in Figure 3 which illustrates a carrying body with a front part equivalent to the carrying body according to Figure 1 and having an extension at its rear end, whereby the total display surface 4 comprises a front and a back part 4a, 4b angled with respect to each other.

The attachment component 5 can, in an alternative design, consist of a resilient clamp 5c made of steel or any other expedient material, secured to the underside of the carrying body 3 with the clamp arms 5d projecting outwards from the underside. The carrying body 3 can hereby quite simply be pushed from above onto the filler gun 2 so that the resilient clamp 5c grips around the gun barrel 2b or gun head 2a.

Li ~14 19~~ WO 93/15493 PCT/N093/00021 6 Optionally, the carrying body can be equipped with two e resilient clamps 5c which grip around each of two -s*a parts of the filler gun 2.

The carrying body 3 and the attachment component 5, optionally in the form of skirt 7 with opening 5b, can be manufactured in an elastic material, eg, in that all parts are dead mould cast in one piece.

Thus the carrying body 3 can be mounted on the filler gun 2 t-n that the gun barrel 2b, or the front part of the gun head 2b, is inserted into the attachment component 5 which has an opening 5b. Optionally, the attachment component can be made of -e4i4-resilient clamp 5c, whereby the carrying body 3 quite i simply is pressed into place from the top of the gun head.

Advertising/information labels can be attached to the display surface 4 of the carrying body 3 in any expedient manner whatsoever such as by using an adhesive. However, to facilitate changing the labels and at the same time achieve protection of the information/advertising label 1, the solution according to Figures 1, 3 and 5 is desirable. The label can hereby be placed in the recess 11 and covered by means of the transparent cover or cover plate 12.

The device according to the nvention will, on use, provide a petrol/fuel customer with clear and full information with regard to the brand and quality of the fuel. This should prevent a vehicle from being filled with the wrong fuel and thereby save the customer from the problems this would cause and save the petrol station/company from any liability for damages in that the filler gun carries clear information about the fuel quality which the customer could not possibly fail to see. During the actual process of. filling his vehicle, the consumer will, at the same time, have ample opportunity to read the advertisement/message that has been affixed to the display surface.

Claims (12)

1. Apparatus attachable to the filler gun of a fuel pump of the kind having a conventional gun head wlth a handle and a gun barrel for displaying on said filler gun one or more graphic messages readily viewable by the user, including; a carrying body which, while attached to the filler gun, extends from approximately the junction of the gun barrel with the gun head to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, said carrying body including a display surface for said one or more messages, said display surface, when said carrying body is attached to the filler gun, extending longitudinally along the filler gun from approximately the junction of the gun head with the gun barrel to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, and means for detachably securing said carrying body to the filler gun.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display surface extends laterally over a distance greater than the width of the filler gun to thereby maximize the Savailable area of said display surface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said carrying body is defined by two adjoining generally planar surfaces angled relative to each other, a first of said planar surfaces being substantially parallel to the gun head and its handle and the second of said planar surfaces being substantially parallel to the gun barrel to thereby maximize the space available for information, o whereby said display service viewable by the user during vehicle refueling corresponds substantially to the maximum of that portion of the length of the filler gun which is readily viewable by the user during vehicle refueling.

4. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said carrying body includes a downwardly projecting peripheral skirt portion extending from at least that portion of the carrying body which underlies said display surface so as to envelop the sides of the gun head portion of the filler gun.

The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said carrying body defines therein an aperture in its end portion which, when attached to the filler gun, is disposed adjacent the junction of the gun barrel with the gun head to thereby secure said carrying means to said filler gun. "8-

6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display surface is surrounded by an upwardly projecting edge or rim to form a recess for accommodating information/advertising on a sheet of paper or card.

7. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further including a transparent cover adapted for easy attachment and removal from the display surface of said carrying body to thereby facilitate changing of the graphic message viewable by the user.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, when dependent on claim 6, wherein securing means on said transparent cover interact with complementary securing means on or at said edge or rim.

9. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the width of said display surface extends over a distance in excess of the width of the gun head over substantially its entire length.

Apparatus attachable to the filler gun of a fuel pump of the kind having a conventional gun head and gun barrel for displaying on said filler gun one or more graphic S messages readily viewable by the user including; t a carrying body which, while attached to the filler gun, extends from approximately the junction of the gun barrel with the gun head to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, said carrying body supporting a display surface for said one or more messages, said display surface, when said carrying body is attached to the filler gun extending S longitudinally along the filler gun from approximately the junction of the gun head with the gun barrel to approximately the foremost edge of the handle of the gun head, said carrying body having a forward portion and a rearward portion which are S pivotally interconnected by a hinge portion, both said forward and rearward portions each having an upstanding skirt portion, said skirt portion being split from either end of the hinge and extending to the edge of the skirt.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein releasable securing means are arranged in the facing splits of the skirt portion.

12. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings. DATED; 19 February 1996 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK ttorneys for: A4 IN ALVERN -oC