CA1223729A - Reusable display sign or card having alphanumeric information - Google Patents

Abstract

REUSABLE DISPLAY SIGN OR CARD HAVING
ALPHANUMERIC INFORMATION

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:
A card for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric information, such as a pricing sign for retail use, is provided. Generally the card is reusable. At least a portion of the face of the card has a background formed thereon in a dark colour, and a plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digit. Each of the display digits has at least seven bar segments so arranged as to form the digit "8". Various alphanumeric digits or letters can be formed by changing the colour of none or some of the bar segments of each display digit, so as to change its value, using a marker having an ink which is substantially the same colour as the colour of the background. The changed displays thereby present alphanumeric data, most usually pricing data, as desired. The card may be reused by wiping the changed display digits with a dampened wiping means which may carry water or a specific solvent, depending on the nature of the ink that has been used in the marker when the display digit was first changed. The display cards may be very economically produced and provided in large quantities to major retailers as well as to small independent retailers. The cards may also be used such as for inventory and stock control, and the like.

Description

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FIELD_OF THE_INVENrrION:
This invention relates to apparatus for displaying alphanumeric information, and a metllod of displayiny--and changing alphanumeric inforrnation. More particularly, the invention relates to cards for displayiny alphanurneric informa-tion such as pricing and the like, or for such purposes as inventory control;
and it is a feature of the presen-t invention that the cards may be re-used. By being re-used, what is rneant is that the alphanumeric information which rnay be placed on the card in one instance can be changed for re-use of -the card in another instance.
The cards of the present invention are presented having a plurality of display digits, each taking the forrn oE a seven bar dlgit "~". The value of any display digit can be changed by blanking or obscuring some or none of the bar segments. In general, each card has a background of a first, dark colour, and the bar segments of each display digit against the background are of a second contrasting and lighter colour. The bar segments may be altered. by colouring each bar segment with an ink of substantially the same colour as the background using a marker which may also be provided by this invention, thereby substantially visually obscuring the rnarked bar segments.

BAC~ROUND OF THE INVENTION:
__ ____ ___ In many circumstances, such as retail sales, it is of-ten desirable to presen-t or display informa-tion such as pricing, or even stock or code numbers, relevant to any given item. Thus, for exarnple, in a supermarket or other retailer havlng high inventory turnover, prices may change from week to week, or possibly even ~L~;2 3~
dally. On the other hand, certain other k.inds oE retailers may have fixed or constant prices -that may last for weeks or months at a ti~.e. Similar-ly, inventory con-trol ma-y require that the identifying information as to any bin of parts, for example, may require only rela-tively seldom changes -- perhaps only once or twice in a year.
All of those circurnstances, and of course many others, lend thernselves to utilization of the apparatus and rnethod o:E th present inventlon. In all even-ts, the card presents and displays alphanumeric inforrnation -- which may be alphabetic or numeric, usually numeric -- by presenting what is essentially a universal digit "8" having Inuch the same appearance as that which is shown on an ordinary LCD (li~uid crystal display) watch, where none or some of the bar segments may be altered so as to change the value of the display digit that is shown.
In the usual circumstance, and for -the best visual display, the multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits are preferably formed in a contrasting light colour to the dark colour of the background on which they are presented.
Therefore, the presen-t invention provides not only a card for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric information, it provides also the means by which the alphanumeric inforrnation may be altered or arnended. The overall apparatus thus includes the card and a marker. At the same time, recognition is made of the fact that, on occasion, it may be that once a card has been Inarked it will not be marked again. This, however, remains in keeping with the presen-t invention, in that a number of s-tandard cards may be obtained, and in any event each card rnay be rnarked differently than any other card by obscuring various ones of the ~237~g bar segments of each of the multi-segmented alphanumeric presenta-tion display digits, so as to present specific alphanumerlc information.
It also follows, therefore, that a rnethod of exhibiting, displaying, and changing alphanumeric inforrnation i3 provided by the present invention, by not only providing the card but a ~narker, and by providing a means whereby the specific alphanui[leric data which Inay be displayed in a readable manner may be changed by changing the colour of none or some of the bar segments of each multi-segmented digital display. Once again, as noted above, once any bar segment has been changed, only the unchanged bar segments are thereaf-ter readily visible and distinguished from the background field, because of the equivalence of the colour of -the mar]cer ink and the colour of the bac]cground field, and because of the contrast of the colour of the unmarked bar segments to that of the background field.
Obviously, similar presentations can be made electronically, using either LED's (light emltting diodes), LCD's (liquid crystal displays), and so on. However, it is very obvious that the installed capital cost of any electronically operated alphanumeric display, on which the display may be varied from time to time, is very high. However, for such static purposes as pricing or other information display, it is often not necessary to undertake the capital costs of electronic devices.
There are several other mechanical devices known in the prior art, but they also represent very high and significant capital costs. For example, NIDELKOFF in United States patent 4,ll5,93~ dated Septernber 2~, 1978, teaches to a sign which has self-storing characters that are quickly changeable. However, ~.~23~
althougil the background and the characters nlay have colour contrast and/or illumlna~ion, the change is nlade by moveable shutters -- in o-ther words, uslng moveable and speclfic mechanical pieces. Obviously, the capital costs of such a devlce are quite high.
A similar device, having bar segments which may be altered using magnetic material, is shown in ROBINSON et al, U.S.
patent 4,5~7,8~8 issued April 2, 1985. Yet another device is shown in HALLIDAY, U.S. Patent 4,539,768 issued Septernber 10, 1985. Here again, specific flaps or rnechanical means are required to change each segment so as to alter its value.
I-t will be noted tha-t when a unlversal, seven-segment, standard digit "~" is used, with the exception of changing two bar seyments which increases the value of the "8" to "9", that o-therwise changlng bar segmen-ts results either in a lower value or a substantially meaningless symbol. ~his is not often of concern, but when it is of any concern several security measures can be taken which preclude inadvertent or malicious changes to cards according to the present invention. For example, a simple expedient may simply be to place cards behind a clear cover plate, in much the same manner as price cards are often placed between clear sheets of plastic in stands or holders. Another step t~lat may be taken in order to secure the integrity of the dlgltal or alphanumeric information being displayed, as discussed in greater detail hereafter, is to use special inks and/or speclal surfaces on the cards. Thus, it may be possible that the cards -- that is, the bar segments on -the cards -- may not be altered excep-t using inks that will somehow favourably react with or cover the material of the surface of the card; or, it may be ~ ;~23~
~hat inks will be used that rmay not be removed frol-n bar segments except using special solvents.
In some instances, for visual purposes and perhaps for alphanunleric display purposes, it may be convenient to display the universal "8" having twinned pairs of ~ar segments. The appearance of such displays is discussecL in greater detail hereaf-ter.

STATEM~NT OF INVENTION:
_ ._ _ __ _ ___ _ _ _ .__ _ It follows, from the above, that the present invention in its broadest sense provides a card for exhibiting and displaying alphanurnerlc information. No matter whether the inforrnation is to be changed from tirne to time, or once specific alphanumeric information has been placed on the card and will 15 thereafter remain intact, it is fundamental to the present invention that the card has a face which for the most part is substantially planar or smooth. It may be, and generally is, a flat card, but it may be formed in a circular manner -- such as might be used on rotating displays on the retail floors of supermarkets or department stores, for example, or to advertise the current price for the sale of gasoline.
In any event, at least a portion of the face has permanently placed thereon a background field which ls of a first, dark colour. A plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits are provided, where each display digit comprises at least seven bar segments which are so arranged as to form the digit "8". In each case, therefore, there is at least a top, a middle, and a bottom bar segment, each of which is usually substantially horizontally directed. There are two ~ ;223~
fur-ther pairs of side bar segments, one pair extending frorn near each end of the top bar segment to near each end of the middle bar segment, and the other pair extending from near each end of -the Iniddle bar ~segment -to near each end of the bottom bar segment. It is, again, a feature of the present invention that each bar segment of each display dlgit is of a second and contrasting, usually much lighter, colour -than the first, darker, colour of the background field. As noted hereaf-ter, the background field is usually black, but it may be dark blue, dark red, dark green, etc.; and the bar segments are usually white but may be light or pastel shades.
Thus, specific alphanumeric data may be displayed in readable rnanner by changiny the colour of none or some of the bar segments o:E each display d.i~it frorn the second colour to the first colour, so that only the unchanged bar segments are readily visible an~ distinguished frorn the background field.
Frorn the above, it follows that the present invention provides an apparatus including a marker for marking the bar segments, where the marker has an ir~ therein which is substantially of the same colour as the colour of the background field.
Again, since it is the usual purpose -- although not necessarily or absolutely required -- that the presen-t invention provides means not only for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric infornlation, but also for changing it, it follows that the ink in the rnarker is erasable -- at least using suitable or appropriate solvents.
In its broadest sense, the ink in the marker may be water soluble, so that it may be removed from any changed bar 3~
segnlent on any card according to the present invention, simply by wlping that changed bar segmen-t wi-th a water-dampened wiping means. It has also been noted that, for security purposes, it may be desirable in certain circums-tances tha-t the ink in the rnarker .is soluble only in a specific solvent, so that lt may be rernoved from any changed bar element only by wiping that changed bar elemerlt with wiping rmeans wh1ch carries the specific solvent in releasable form.
Thus, not only does the present inven-tion provide cards for exhibiting alphanurneric information, it provides apparatus or systeMs for exhibiting, displaying and changing alphanumeric information, and it also provides a method for exhibiting, displaying, and changing alphanumeric information.

~RIEF ~ESCRIPTION OF Tl-lE ~RAWIN~S:
__ __ .__ _ _ _ _ __._____ .__ _ _ _ _ __ _ Specific features of the present invention will now be discussed, in association with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a representation of a typical card according to the present invention, having multi-segrnented alphanumeric display digits against a background field;
Figure 2 is representative of the manner in which an alphanumeric di.splay digit according to the present invention may be altered;
Figure 3 shows an alternative style oE a display digit using twinned bar segrments; and Figure 4 is a representation showing each of the digits 1 through 0 and the manner in which each digit rnay be derived frorn a seven segment universal "~".

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREF~RRED EM~ODIMENTS:
Figure 1 shows a card 10, for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric information, On at least a portion of -the face 12 of the card 10, there is a field or background field 14. That background f.ield 14 is permanently placed on the :Eace 12 of the card 10, and is usually a solid colour which is a dark colour. As noted above, the colour of the background fleld 14 is usually black, but it may be such other colours as dark green, dark red, dark blue, etc.
A typical card may have a message imprinted thereon, such as the word "SALE" indicated at 16; of course, it rnay have o-ther words or lengthy messages, or there may be no additional specifi.c permanen-t information on the card 10.
On the background field 14, there are a plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits 18. The number of presentation display digits 18 will vary from card to card, depending on the general purpose to which it will be put.
For exarnple, the card which is shown in Figure 1 will display prices up to $99.99; in other instances it may be necessary --such as on the floor of a retail autornobile dealer -- to display prices up to $99,999.99 -- that is to say, at least above $10,000,00, Referring specifically to Figure 2, it will be noted that each of the seven segment universal "8" digits cornprises at least seven bar segments. They include the top bar segment 20, the middle bar segment 22, and the lower bar segment 24. There are two pairs of side bar segments, the pair 26 and 28 extending at either side from near the ends of the upper bar segment 20 to ~3~2~
near the ends of.the rniddle bar segrnent 22; and the pair 30 ~nd 32 extending from near the ends of the middle bar segmen-t 22 to near the ends o~ the bo-ttom bar segment 24 - - As shown in Figure 1, the colour of each of the alphanumeric presentation display digits 18 is of a second contrasting, ligh-ter colou~ than thè colour of the background field 14. As rnentioned, that colour ls usually white; but may be pastel shades, for example.
To alter the value of any alphanurneric display digit 18, means such as the marker 34 having a marker tip 36 may be used.
The ink in the rnarker 34 transfers frorn the marker to the card 10 at the Inarker tip 36, and in order to provide a meaningful presen-tation tlle colour of the ink in the marker 3~ should be substantially the same as tha-t of the background field 14. Thus, lf for example bar segments 24 and 30 are rnarked out so as to be indistinguishable from the background fi.eld 14, leaving the other five bar segments distinguished frorn the background field 14, the digit "9" is presented.
All of the digits 1 through 0 are shown, and the manner of their presentation, in Figure 4. Alphabetic inforrnation is also possible, although it usually comprises a mix of upper case and lower case letters. For example, obscuring the bottom bar segment 24 results in an upper case "A", while obscuring bar ; segrnents 20 and 28 may result either in a "6" or a lower case "b"; to be determined frorn the context of surrounding and/or adjacent display digits 18. Nonetheless, a full alphanurneric display havlng all twenty-six letters of the English alphabet and all ten digits, is possible using a universal, seven segmenc "8".
An alternative display digit 38, using twinned bar ~2~3~
segnlents, is showrl in Figure 3. I-t may be used i.n sorne instances so as to more particularly di.s-tinguish the presentation of a digit "~" frorn a lower case "b"; or it rnay be used s-trictly for styllstic purposes -- such as when the prices being displayed are relatively high.
Once any of the bar segrnents have been marked, i-t is simply a matter of wiping the marked bar segments with wa-ter or a sultable solven-t, as discussed above, to change the digit being displayed, or to return it to the "8" condition. In any event, it is clear that the display will relr,ain with the altered information unless and until it is changed using a suitable wiper -- and a specific solvent, lf necessary.
If the surface material of the card, the permanent rnarking paint or ink which is used to mark the backc3round fi.eld 14, and the type and colour of the ink in the rnarker 34, are all carefully chosen, a changed card according to the present invention niay be such that only the unchanged bar segmen-ts are readily visible and distinguished frorn the background field, even from a relatively close inspection. This gives the retailer, or other user, the opportunity to purchase and use substantially standard (or standardized cards and markers. Of course, sorne cards may carry different fixed messages frorn o-thers, and may carry different numbers of digits, but still the number of different cards rnay be substan-tially reduced. This is enhanced by the fact that the cards are re-usable, so that the capital cos-t of acquiring the cards and the rnarkers for changing them, is relatively insignificant.
It has been noted that there are a variety of potential users of the apparatus and method taught by the present ~ ~ ~ J~ ~
:inven-tion. The first and most obvious user is, of course, a retail rnerchant; other po-tential users include factories and/or distributors requiring inventory control of such i-tems as bulk inventory. Still other potential users may include co~nercial and financial institutions where -the alphanumeric inforraation to be displayed and/or chanyed rnay include days and hours of business.
Also, many colmllercial and/or financial institutions rnay, in their retail or public operations, wish to have displays which are constantly changing as to such items as interes-t rates being paid or charged for various services/ currency exchange rates, and the li]ce.
Yet another potentiai use of the present invention is in an educational sense, where -the users may be children who can apply learning skills while at the sarne time having enjoyrnent of such tasks as learnin~ arithmetic. SpeciEically, a card rnay be desiyned having two or more columns of display digits beside the bottom most of which there may be a rurther symbol which essentially comprises the super imposition of a plus sign (+) and the letter "x" in eight or ten distinct segments (if ten, the vertical stroke comprises four segments) frorn which can be derived all four arithmetic function symbols of addition, sub-traction, multiplication, and division. Below the lower most row, a permanently marked line may be placed, below which a further row of display digits would be produced, having more display digi-ts than any of the rows above the line. Such a ~ard and the requisite rnarker rnay be offered, for example, as a ~relniurn or "gift" in a marketing campaign by manufacturers such as cereal manufacturers, publishers of books and magazines for young children, and the like.

~L~Z3729 There has been described a card for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric information, which card may be changed by ~narking none or some o~ the bar segments on lt, a system or apparatus includlng the card and a marker; (or wiping prevlously marked bar segments); and a method of exhibiting, displaying and changing alphanurneric information. The appended claims define the alnbit of the present invention.

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Claims (10)

I CLAIM:

1. A card for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric information, which information may be changed from time to time, where the card has a face which is substantially planar or smooth;
at least a portion of said face having permanently placed thereon a background field of a first, dark colour;
there being a plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits on said background field;
where each display digit comprises at least seven bar segments which are so arranged as to form the digit "8", having at least a top, a middle and a bottom bar segment each of which is substantially horizontally directed; and further having two pairs of side bar segments, one pair extending from near each end of the top bar segment to near each end of the middle bar segment, and the other pair extending from near each end of the middle bar segment to near each end of the bottom bar segment;
each bar segment of each display digit being of a second contrasting, lighter colour than said first colour;
said planar face being adapted for receiving removeable pigmentation applied thereto in an evaporable liquid base, to effectively obscure selected bar segment portions of selected ones of said digits, and being selectively removeable therefrom by wiping with a suitable solvent to restore said digits;
so that specific alphanumeric data may be displayed in readable manner by changing the colour of none or some of the bar segments of each display digit from said second colour to said first colour, in order that only the unchanged bar segments are readily visible and distinguished from the background field.

2. An apparatus for exhibiting, displaying and changing alphanumeric information, which apparatus comprises a card and a marker;
where said card has a face which is substantially planar or smooth;
at least a portion of said face having permanently placed thereon a background field of a first, dark colour;
there being a plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits on said background field;
where each display digit comprises at least seven bar segments which are so arranged as to form the digit "8", having at least a top, a middle and a bottom bar segment each of which is substantially horizontally directed; and further having two pairs of side bar segments, one pair extending from near each end of the top bar segment to near each end of the middle bar segment, and the other pair extending from near each end of the middle bar segment to near each end of the bottom bar segment;
each bar segment of each display digit being of a second contrasting, lighter colour than said first colour;
said marker having an erasable ink therein which is substantially of the same colour as said first colour of said background field;
whereby specific alphanumeric data may be displayed in readable manner by changing the colour of none or some of the bar segments of each display digit from said second colour to said first colour, by marking each segment to be changed using said marker, so that only the unchanged bar segments are thereafter readily visible and distinguished from said background field.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, where the ink of said marker is water soluble, and may be removed from any of said changed bar segments by wiping said changed bar segment with a water-dampened wiping means.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, where the ink of said marker is soluble only in a specific solvent, and may be removed from any of said changed bar segments only by wiping said changed bar segment with a wiping means which carries said specific solvent in releasable form.

5. The card of claim 1, where at least one of said display digits comprises at least seven twinned pairs of bar segments arranged in same manner so as to form a digit "8" where each arm thereof is one of said twinned pairs of bar segments.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, where at least one of said display digits comprises at least seven twinned pairs of bar segments arranged in same manner so as to form a digit "8" where each arm thereof is one of said twinned pairs of bar segments.

7. A card for exhibiting and displaying alphanumeric information, where the card has a face which is substantially planar or smooth;
at least a portion of said face having permanently placed thereon a background field of a first, dark colour;
there being a plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits on said background field;

where each display digit comprises at least seven bar segments which are so arranged as to form the digit "8", having at least a top, a middle and a bottom bar segment each of which is substantially horizontally directed; and further having two pairs of side bar segments, one pair extending from near each end of the top bar segment to near each end of the middle bar segment, and the other pair extending from near each end of the middle bar segment to near each end of the bottom bar segment;
each bar segment of each display digit being of a second contrasting, lighter colour than said first colour;
said planar face being adapted for receiving removeable pigmentation applied thereto in an evaporable liquid base, to effectively obscure selected bar segment portions of selected ones of said digits, and being selectively removeable therefrom by wiping with a suitable solvent to restore said digits;
whereby specific alphanumeric data may be displayed in readable manner using said card, by changing the colour of none or some of the bar segments of each display digit from said second colour to said first colour, in order that only the unchanged bar segments are readily visible and distinguished from the background field.

8. A method of exhibiting, displaying, and changing alphanumeric information which comprises the steps of:
providing a card and a marker;
where said card has a face which is substantially planar or smooth;
at least a portion of said face having permanently placed thereon a background field of a first, dark colour;

there being a plurality of multi-segmented alphanumeric presentation display digits on said background field;
where each display digit comprises at least seven bar segments which are so arranged as to form the digit "8", having at least a top, a middle and a bottom bar segment each of which is substantially horizontally directed; and further having two pairs of side bar segments, one pair extending from near each end of the top bar segment to near each end of the middle bar segment, and the other pair extending from near each end of the middle bar segment to near each end of the bottom bar segment;
each bar segment of each display digit being of a second contrasting, lighter colour than said first colour;
said marker having an erasable ink therein which is substantially of the same colour as said first colour of said background field;
whereby specific alphanumeric data may be displayed in readable manner by changing the colour of none or some of the bar segments of each display digit from said second colour to said first colour, by marking each segment to be changed using said marker, so that only the unchanged bar segments are thereafter readily visible and distinguished from said background field;
and using said marker to change said bar segments as required.

9. The method of claim 8, where the ink of said marker is water soluble, and may be removed from any of said changed bar segments by wiping said changed bar segment with a water-dampened wiping means.

10. The method of claim 8, where the ink of said marker is soluble only in a specific solvent, and may be removed from any of said changed bar segments only by wiping said changed bar segment with a wiping means which carries said specific solvent in releasable form.