CA1330487C - Information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract Information Display Device A device for displaying information, the device comprising a transparent faced display board for the fixture to a surface the board having carrier means (3) intermediate the transparent face (5) and the surface for carrying a rigid information element (4) and an aperture (15) for inserting the element into the carrier means.
The aperture is provided with a baffle, (10), for example comprising resiliently biased elements, allowing entry of flexible information element.

Description

- 133~4~7 Information Display Device This invention relates to devices for displaying information. More especially the invention relates to devices for displaying advertisments.
One kind of known information display devices comprise a panel on which small posters or cards are displayed. In some of the prior art devices the panel is provided with a series of tracks which carry the cards.
These devices are often located near the exit of large stores and are used by the public or small companies to advertise comparatively low value goods and services.
These devices suffer from a number of disadvantages.
First, the cards are suspectible to theft. Secondly, the cards are vulnerable to defacement by graffiti. Thirdly, control is difficult in that unauthorised cards or those containing offensive matter may readily be displayed.
The present invention seeks to reduce or eliminate at least some of these disadvantages.
According to the invention there is provided a device for displayiny information, the device co~prising a transparent faced display board, for fixture to a surface, the board having carrier means intermediate the surface and the transparent face, for carrying a rigid information element and an aperture for inserting the element onto the carrier means the aperture comprising a slot and a baffle allowing entry of a rigid information element but preventing entry of a flexible information element.

1330~7 Preferably the information element comprises a card and holder.
In some embodimentS of the invention the holders are supplied from one or more coin freed vending machines which may be part of the display board. Instead of a coin-freed vending machine a vending machine freed by bank notes, credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, or automated debiting of bank accounts may be used. In these embodiments the user may be supplied with a card holder, card and, optionally, a writing instrument and/or prize draw number or prize. Alternatively the card holder and card could be obtained from a representative of the site owner or from a store. In yet other alternatives the card :. .
i5 provided with a validation stamp. This may be obtained, for example, from a vending machine or from a representative of the site owner. In a preferred embodiment the card holder is of similar appearance to the boxes in which music cassettes and especially compact ` discs are commonly supplied.
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;~;; In another preferred embodiment the display device is provided with means for printing the message re~uired by the hirer. This can be part of the display board or can be in the vicihi~ty of the~board. In onelembodiment!the~
printing means would comprise a computer or word processor and printer. Other alternatives would be readily apparent to the skilled worker.
Preferably either or both of the card and holder are provided, for example by printing, with a security code so l ~

<-1330~7 that it is possible to ascertain readily whether the card and holder have been obtained from an authorised source.
Instructions for use could be printed on the holder or card. Preferably each information element is provided with a dark line or other means to delineate visually one element from another.
In a further embodiment of the invention the information element can be provided with still further information. This information could for example be a letter, numeral, colour.` The purpose of the further information would be to encourage consumer interest by offering prizes for completing particular patterns possibly in a similar manner to the well known game of 'Scrabble' (Re9istered Trade Mark). Alternatives would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
Preferably the holder is a U shaped strip of plastics material. Suitable plastics material include polymethyl methacrylate such as that sold under the Trade Mark 'Perspex', polyacrylate and polycarbonate The holder is preferably of injection moulded plastics material. If the information is carried on a card held between the legs of a U shaped strip at least part of the strip should be transparent. Stili more preferably one edge of the strip is provided with a cut out to facilitate opening of the holder. Other types of holders may be used. The holder should be easy to use and cheap to minimise financial loss if stolen. The information element should also be rigid ~ ~ to facilitate passage past the baffles described in more ',i~
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133~4~7 detail hereinafter.
Preferably the element should be comparatively m~ssive so that the user perceives the investment in hiring a element to be good value.
In other embodiments of the invention the information element co~prises a rigid sheet. Information can be written on the sheet, for example with a Chinagraph tTrade Mark) pencil or other erasible writing instrument thereby avoiding the need for a separate card and holder.
The skilled worker will be able to devise other holders for example an at least partially transparent box into which an information carrying card is inserted.
The front panel of the device should be transparent 1, at least in those areas covering the information elements.
Preferably it should be of strong shatterproof and easily cleaned material. The front panel is not essential , :
to the invention but is preferred as it prevents the information elements from being defaced.
The carrying means are preferably vertical and in general it will be found that other orientations except horizontal are not acceptable to users. Preferably the carrying means comprise parallel spaced channel sections or eXtrusions. ~ !
The device is preferably provided with a baffle to ",~
resist nonrigid objects such as a post card or other unauthorised information elements. The baffle can s~ comprise a stiff brush or a resiliently biased plate or ~`

~ shl~tt6r. In some em~odir~ents the ioformetion element is (~
133~7 provided with a coded magnetlc 6trip which i~ read by a reader situated near the mouth of the c~rrying means. If the element carrie6 the correct code then a shutter will open and allow insertion of the ele~ent. Such reading devices are commercial available and known in other art~.
Preferably the device i8 lockable 80 that only repre6entatives of the management may remove cards.
Element6 would be removed at the end of a hire period or earlier if carrying offen~ive materlal.
In 60me eitu~tion8 it may be neces6ary for user6 to 'post' ~om~l~ted e~ement~ into an opaque b~x for e~iting by the management be~ore display.
Embodiments of the invention will be illustrated by reference to the accompanyin~ drawings in whioh:
~ igure 1 shows a front view of a vending and display .
devlce according to the lnvent~on, Flgure 2 showB a cros8 8ectional view of a baffle ;~ fitted to an entry slot of the board, ~ igure 3 6how6 a per~pective view ofa card clipped into a holder, igur~ 4 ~ Wb ~ ~L~ ecllonal view of the base of ~, the~3eYice, r~gurc 5 io ~ front cl~va~l~nal scrap view of an alternative baffle, Figure 6 i8 a side elevatlonal scrap view of the baffle oi' Figure S, a~

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1330~7 Figure ~7 18 a sectional view of a preferred card holder.
Referring to the drawing8, a typical syctem compri~e~ ~`
a di~play device 1, a vending machine 2 and multlplicity of advertlsing card6 3 and card holders 4. The display panel 1 18 equipped with a transp~rent front panel 5 having integrally formed equi-spaced vertical ribs 6 spaced to suit the card holder 4. Each rib ha~ small integrally formed pro~ection8 7 to form a retaining device in order to keep the card holder 4 at the fir~t location until a ~urther c~rd holder 4 displace~ the card into the next positlon. Alternatively the c~rd holder 4 may be held by others methods, 8uch aB magnetic in6erts 8 ~n the card holder 5 ~tta~hed to ferroUs faced rear panel 9, a rubber or other frlctlon or locking material such as Velcro ~Trade Mark) faced rear panel 9, springs and or ball catches in the vertical ribs 6. The transparent front panel 5 i~ secured to a rear panel ~ ln 6uch a manner as to permit the lncorpora~ion of a deflection ;~
devlce 10 at its upper edge and a card extraction system 11 at its lower edge, the whole beiny equipped with brackets -~
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~ or other anchor pivot8 12 to enable it to be secured to a -~ wall or other structure.
~ A card holder 4 i8 formed by folding a strip of "~ transparent plastics material such a~ Per6pex (Trade Mark) into a very tight "U" form 13 produclng a clip l~ke shape with legs 14 whlch may be 8prung open by finger pres6ure :~
~ in order to 1nsert a card 3 and whieh will hold the card i , .
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l33a4~7 3 firmly in place.
In order that non vended cards and other similar unwanted flexible material should not be permitted to enter into the display panel a deflection device 10 across the entrance to the slots 15 is const,ructed from a multiplicity of short brush like strips, the fibres of which project inwardly from both front and back of the display panel 1 in such a manner as to be displaced vertically alternately from front and back to form a , baffle 16 which will accept stiff card holders 4 but will bend and deflect any flexible materials pushed into the ' device. At the lower end of the display board 1 is i:
provided a card holder retainer system 17 comprising a series of cylindrical pins 18 having a circumferential , ~ groove 19 at each end and passing through the transparent panel 5 such that a lockable slide bar 20 at the lower '~ rear face of rear panel 9 can slideably engage the rear `,~ groove l9a and by moving a small distance can disengage l 1,;
~ the groove l9a and allow the,pin 18 to be removed'forward !,m; through the front panel 5 by virtue of ltS also passing , through circular holes 21 in the slide bar 20 thus ',A"~ permitting card holders to be withdrawn from display. Re-'~ ins~erti'on of the pinsil8 and locking the~slide bar into the groove engaging position locks the display system.
Other means for allowing cards to be removed will be readily apparent. In one alternative embodiment the transparent plate is pivotable about the base of the device.

1~3~7 A more sophi~tlcated ba~fle mean6 i6 shown in Flgure6 5 and 6. In thi~ emb~di~ent a shutter 2~ i6 biased by ~prings 23 to close the 810t or track aor carrying an element in~ormation element into the body of the dev~ce.
Pawls 24, 24a engage shutter 22 prevehting it from opening. ~here are preferably two or three pawls per shutter but more or less ~a~ be used. ~he pawls are bia~ed to this position by 6prlngs ~not shown).
Alternatively spring mean8 or counterbalance means can be used.
When an lnformatlon element of the correet size and weight i~ introduced into the device both pawls 24, 24a are disengaged from the 6hutter 22. The weight of the element overcome~ the biasing mean6 of the shutter which pi~ota allowing the element to enter ~he body of the device. After pas8age of the element the apparatus returns to the rest po81tlon described. If the element 16 too narrow then both pawls wlll not be dlsengaged thereby preventing the 6hutter from opening. If the element i~ too light lt will not be able to overcome the biasing means al~o preventing the element from entering the body of the device. It wlll be remembered that it is ~ ~ .
preferred that the information element be relati~ely masslve and ~o many attempt8 to ln6ert u~ing cards and ~; other authori6ed information element6 will be thwarted.
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A proforxod infor~at~on olomont io ~hown ln Figua-~ 7..

~'~ It comprises ~ box or 8011d block 25 which m~y be of tran~parent plastic8 material of similar dimen6ion~ to a ~ ~ .

133~4~7 g box for compact discs. One face 26 carries a card 3 for a message or a slot for insertion of such a card, a .
business card or a photograph. The opposite face may carry a lottery ticket or the like in a slot.The information holder may be provided with a cavity 27 or other means for storing a writing instrument. Preferably at least part of the mechanism is covered by an opaque panel when the device is in use.
In some cases where an advertised product or serv1ce is no longer available the representatives of the site owner may have to remove the 'sold' information holder.
This generally requires the dispay device to be opned. The problem can be overcome by providing the board or the operator with a number of 'sold' signs 26. The slgn is ;
moved over the required advertisement and then secured for example with a non-standard size hexagon Xey so as to prevent unauthorised use. Those skilled in the art will recongise that other systems for example using magnets, chemical 1ndicators or light sensitive materials could be used. Those skilled in the art will recognise that board can be fixed to a surface in many ways including by screws, nails, brackets mounting on supports and the like.
The dlspl~ax devlce may also carry other information for example, maps or advertisements for large organisations especially radio or tv stations which generally do not carry 'small ads". This information is generally carried on the periphery of the board and not in information holders.

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lo 133~7 -AdvantageoUsly each site operator is supplied with boards in which the operative width is unique to him thereby avoiding users obtaining information elements from one site operator and using them in another. In this case each shutter will generally require at least two pawls.
Alternatively the ribs could be a constat distance apart and the pawls movable.
Where the shutter is actuated by a magnetic strip only the code need di ff er.

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Claims (7)

1. A device for displaying information, said device comprising a board having first and second opposing faces;
a transparent sheet;
carrier means; and baffle means;
said board being adapted for fixture to a surface with said first face adjacent the surface, said carrier means being carried on said second face of said board, said transparent sheet being carried on said second face, said carrier means lying intermediate said face and said sheet, said device being further provided with means defining an aperture communicating with said carrier means, said means defining aperture being provided with said baffle means, said baffle means allowing entry of a rigid information element into said carrier means but preventing entry of a flexible information element.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising an information element

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said information element comprises a U shaped holder of clear plastics material

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier means define substantially vertical tracks.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 additionally comprising resiliently biased location means, said location means being carried on said vertical tracks and retaining an information element until the element is displaced by a further element.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transparent face is lockable secured to said board

7.. The device as claimed in claim 2 additionally comprising a vending machine for supply of said information elements.