EP0495840B1 - Publicity support device for installation on a vehicle roof - Google Patents

Abstract

The publicity support device mountable on a vehicle roof is comprised of the combination on the one hand of a rectangular panel (1) made of multilayer plastic material and presenting three folds (2, 3, 4) parallel to one of its edges delimiting three surfaces (5, 6, 7) and a flap (8) whose length is slightly smaller than the width of the roof (18) of the vehicle on which the device is mounted, thereby allowing to form a tubular structure of which the cross-section is a triangle substantially rectangle, and on the other hand, of a bendable fixing system consisting of one or a plurality of magnetic rubber elements or elastic cables. It is intended to be fitted on all vehicles, both professional and private.

Description

The present invention relates to an advertising support device which can be fixed on the roof of a vehicle.

It is intended for the equipment of all vehicles, both professional and private.

The devices produced to date are generally designed to be used by vehicles stationary or traveling at reduced speed. They are most often formed from one or more metal panels or mounted on a metal frame and rigidly fixed. They are therefore heavy, bulky when used, and of a high cost price.

GB-A-2 176 040 describes a display device which can be mounted on the metal roof of a vehicle and formed by two panels forming an inverted "V" fixed on a flat base whose lower surface consists of a flexible magnet plate. The design of this system makes it difficult to adapt to a strongly curved surface and is relatively high in cost due to the large size of the magnet plate.

The subject of US-A-1,885,282 is a panel intended to be mounted on the roof of a vehicle and consisting of several triangular hollow bodies fitted together, made of waterproofed cardboard. The assembly, in addition to its low longevity, has the drawback of having to be fixed with a whole series of cables if one wishes to prevent it from being torn off by the wind.

The device according to the present invention as described in claims 1 or 4 eliminates all these drawbacks. In fact, it allows very inexpensive advertising panels to be produced, with a very small footprint once dismantled, easy to install and remove and which can be used at high speed.

It is made up of a combination of a bendable fastening system composed of one or more magnetic rubber elements fixed under the advertising support, on the other hand, of a foldable rectangular panel made of a translucent multilayer plastic material. or opaque similar to corrugated cardboard and comprising three folds parallel to one of its sides delimiting three surfaces of different width and a flap making it possible to form a tubular structure whose section is a substantially rectangle triangle, the flap comprising on its length at at least two hooking elements formed of loop pile and hooks, corresponding to as many elements of the same type provided at the edge of the surface opposite to said flap once the device is folded.

• les figures 1 et 2 représentent le système de fixation vu respectivement de dessus et de dessous,
• la figure 3 montre le panneau pliable mis à plat pour le stockage,
• la figure 4 représente le dispositif monté, vu en perspective,
• la figure 5 montre le dispositif monté posé sur le toit d'un véhicule,
• la figure 6 représente une variante d'exécution avec une bande de caoutchouc magnétique fixée directement sur le panneau pliable,
• la figure 7 montre le panneau pliable suivant la figure 6 mis à plat pour le stockage,
• la figure 8 est le détail A de la figure 6, agrandi.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example of one of the forms of the invention,

• FIGS. 1 and 2 represent the fixing system seen respectively from above and from below,
• FIG. 3 shows the foldable panel laid flat for storage,
• FIG. 4 represents the mounted device, seen in perspective,
• FIG. 5 shows the device mounted on the roof of a vehicle,
• FIG. 6 represents an alternative embodiment with a magnetic rubber band fixed directly to the foldable panel,
• FIG. 7 shows the foldable panel according to FIG. 6 laid flat for storage,
• Figure 8 is the detail A of Figure 6, enlarged.

The device, FIGS. 1 to 5, consists of a foldable rectangular panel 1 and a fixing plate 9.

The foldable panel 1 is made of a known plastic material, translucent or opaque, composed of a corrugated layer caught between two flat layers. Three folds 2, 3, 4, parallel to one sides, are marked on the panel so as to delimit three rectangular surfaces 5, 6, 7 and a flap 8 whose length is slightly less than the width of the vehicle. Self-adhesive hooking elements 20, 21 in velvet with loops and hooks are mounted on the flap 8 and at the edge of the opposite surface 5.

The panel 1 is folded to form a tubular structure having a section in the shape of a right triangle (FIGS. 1 and 6), by folding the flap 8 over the surface opposite to it 5 so that the fastening elements self -adhesives 21 of the surface 5 correspond to the same elements 20 of the flap 8.

The fixing plate 9 is preferably a rectangular plate of the same material as the foldable panel 1, but any semi-rigid sheet material can be used, in particular mild steel, and the shape can be arbitrary. Said fixing plate 9 is provided on its underside with one or more magnetic rubber elements 13, 14. In FIG. 2, these elements consist of a front strip 13 and a rear strip 14, but their number and their shape can vary. The foldable panel 1 is held on the fixing plate 9 by a joining zone 15, obtained by gluing, welding or any other means, sufficiently narrow to allow the fixing plate 9 to match the shape of the roof 18 of the vehicle without lead to deformation of the foldable panel 1.

In the case where the fixing plate 9 is made of insulating material, a sheet of mild steel of the same shape as the magnetic elements 13, 14, and about 1 mm thick, is interposed between them and said fixing plate, in order to increase their efficiency.

Once folded, the panel 1 is placed on the roof 18 of a vehicle with the magnetic strip 13 towards the front and the flap 8 towards the rear, the surface 7 contiguous to the latter being substantially vertical, the intermediate surface 6 , inclined, tending to press the device on the roof of the vehicle at high speed.

The panel 1 can be folded in both directions, the device is reversible. Therefore, surfaces 6 and 7 can receive texts or advertising or other drawings on one or two sides. In the case where the material constituting the panel 1 is translucent, it is possible to provide lighting consisting for example of a light source powered by a battery or the vehicle battery and arranged inside the folded panel 1.

In an alternative embodiment in FIGS. 6, 7, 8, the panel 1 is fixed by a magnetic rubber band 10 mounted directly over the entire length of the edge of the surface 5 carrying the self-adhesive fastening elements 21, on the opposite side to these. A strip of mild steel 11 of the same width, approximately 1 mm thick, is interposed between said surface 5 and the strip of magnetic rubber 10, in order to increase its efficiency.

In order to be able to give a slight bending of the magnetic rubber band 10 to allow it to flatten well on the roof 18, the edge 12 of the intermediate surface 6 contiguous to the surface 5 carrying the magnetic rubber band 10 is crushed over a width a few centimeters when manufacturing the foldable panel 1.

In another alternative embodiment, the panel 1 is fixed to the roof of the vehicle by means of two fastenings each consisting of an elastic cable provided at one of its ends with a hook and at the other end with a articulated cylindrical piece which can be parallel to the cable for threading or be perpendicular to it for locking. For use, the panel 1 is folded and the fixings are passed respectively through four holes drilled at the corners of the said panel and fitted with metal or plastic reinforcement eyelets, then blocked by means of the articulated cylindrical part.

Thanks to its extremely low cost price compared to known devices, thanks to its very small footprint during storage, thanks to its great ease of assembly and disassembly, the device which has just been described lends itself particularly well to massive use. for advertising campaigns, or for sporting or other events.

The positioning of the various constituent elements gives this device a maximum of useful effects which had not been obtained to date by similar devices.

Claims (5)

1. Device for providing publicity backing which can be secured to the roof of a vehicle and consisting of a rectangular panel (1) of a known multilayered plastic material, similar to corrugated cardboard and comprising three folds (2, 3, 4) parallel to one of its sides forming three surfaces (5, 6, 7) and flap (8) which, by the action of a fastening element (20, 21) fitted on flap (8) and the edge of the opposing surface (5), creates a tubular structure,
      characterized in that the section of the tubular structure is a right angled triangle and that the fixing system consists of a plate (9) in semi-rigid material with on its inner surface one or several magnetic rubber elements (13, 14), that the rectangular panel (1) can be folded along the said folds and is held on the plate (9) by a contact area (15), obtained by bonding, welding or other means, sufficiently narrowed to allow the plate (9) to marry the shape of the roof (18) of the vehicle without leading to distortion of the foldable panel (1).
2. Device as per claim 1 characterized in that plate (9) is rectangular and executed with the same material as the rectangular panel (1), the elements in magnetic rubber (13, 14) consisting of a front strip (13) and rear strip (14).
3. Device as per claim 1 characterized in that plate (9) is rectangular and executed in mild steel.
4. Device for providing a publicity backing which can be secured on the roof of a vehicle and consisting of a rectangular panel (1) of a known multilayered plastic material similar to corrugated cardboard and comprising three folds (2, 3, 4) parallel with one of the sides forming three surfaces (5, 6, 7) and a flap (8) creating, by the action of the fastening element (20, 21) fitted on the flap (8) and the edge of the opposing surface (5), a tubular structure,
      characterized in that the fixing system consists of a magnetic rubber strip (10) fixed at the edge of the surface (5) with fastening elements (21) on the opposite side, the folded rectangular panel (1) being laid on the roof (18) of a vehicle with the magnetic strip (10) arranged so that the intermediate surface (6), sloped, has a tendency to force the device onto the roof of the vehicle when this is moving, the edge (12) of the intermediate surface (6) adjoining the surface (5) bearing the magnetic rubber strip (10) being flattened for a width of a few centimeters during fabrication of the foldable panel (1), in order to be able to induce slight bending of the magnetic rubber strip (10) so that it properly marries the roof (18) of the vehicle.
5. Device as per any one of the claims 1, 2 or 4 characterized in that a sheet of mild steel (11) of the same shape as the magnetic rubber element(s) (10, 13, 14) around 1mm thick, is laid between the said magnetic rubber elements and the fixing system.

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