EP0538532A1 - Information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

Information display device, especially for advertising information, comprising a support frame (10) equipped with a display window (12), characterised in that it comprises a magazine (16) with at least one information support panel (28), means of selecting (34) and of gripping (32) one of the said panels, and means (14) for transferring this panel into line with the display window. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an information display device.

Various devices for displaying information, in particular advertising devices, are known. There are thus display panels which include a display window in which appear information previously printed on a film wound on a first roll, arranged at the lower part of the display panel, while a take-up roller at the top rolls up the film over a length corresponding to the height of the poster.

Such display panels are generally motorized and the poster is changed periodically. It is even expected that the direction of winding-unwinding is reversed in order to return to the previous panels.

This type of display panels is a definite development compared to fixed display panels receiving glued posters, but it is not satisfactory for several reasons.

The main reason is the inflexibility of this type of display panels. Indeed, it is necessary to make a film with a succession of posters, in a given order, and these posters will be presented in this order, either in one direction or in the other, but necessarily one after the other. other.

In addition, the passage from one poster to another can be studied for a direction of scrolling, but on the other hand, the passage can be very unpleasant to the view in the opposite direction.

There is also a cost reason since it is necessary to screen-print the entire film. without any possibility of inserting a poster between two, so that the programming must be perfectly pre-established and the films made on demand. Also, the control is carried out only by a time delay which keeps a poster visible in the window during a given period.

The use of such display devices also has drawbacks because the change of poster remains long and difficult.

Other devices provide rollers with a non-removable support film stretched between the rollers in the display frame. The poster being made up of several pieces arranged in transparent housings formed in the film, they should be introduced one by one into the corresponding housings in the manner of a puzzle.

In the case of posters of four meters by three meters, eight posters of one meter by one meter fifty must be installed in the support film according to the standards currently in force. It is therefore understandable that the change of poster is long and delicate, generally involving two people simultaneously for long periods of time.

It is also clear that during these long periods of change, the display device is immobilized, therefore unusable and unprofitable.

This change operation is made even more tedious in the case of display panels arranged at height, on poles in the city and when the weather conditions become bad.

Any remote control of such a display device is also made impossible in the direction where the order of the posters is pre-established and in the sense that any modification imposes significant downtime.

It turns out that the advertising and communication market requires a great flexibility of use and it can be interesting to be able to modify the order of passage of the different information, to modify one of the information without modifying the others, or simply delete the passage of one of the information while maintaining the display of the others.

In sports meetings, for example, it may become necessary to increase the duration of the passage of the posters of an advertiser at his request depending on the audience received by the televised broadcast of such an event. This is currently impossible with existing devices.

It is also necessary to note that the rooms are, for the sake of profitability, more and more versatile and the different events follow one another very quickly and can be of totally different types, which requires rapid changes of the posters to be broadcast.

During certain sports events, it is also possible to have extensions of the duration of the match or even events which delay the dissemination of advertising messages or information so that in previously established systems, it is often difficult to modify the programming.

Likewise, there is a type of advertising information which consists in circulating vehicles on which fixed display panels are placed on which posters are pasted. Such a system is not flexible to use since any change of poster requires a return to the seat to take off and pick up a poster, while automatic systems with scrolling film as has been mentioned above retain all the operating disadvantages previously expressed, whether on a pole or on a vehicle.

The present invention provides a device for displaying information, in particular advertising, which is very flexible in use, the pre-established programming of which can be modified instantly, the order of passage of which the display panels can be modified, which can receive an additional panel or receive a whole set of new panels, which can be controlled manually, or by internal programming or even remotely, which can receive several modules juxtaposed in order to produce a poster of very large width, which is of low cost, both for the maintenance of the device itself and for the operation of said device, which is of small size thus allowing its transport on a mobile unit or its mounting on poles fixed locations or even on a unit that can be moved manually by rolling on the ground.

To this end, the device for displaying information, in particular advertising information, according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a support frame provided with a display window, a store comprising at least two information support panels, means for selecting and gripping one of said panels and means for transferring this panel to the right of the display window.

The means for selecting the device according to the invention more particularly comprise indexes carried by the panels, facing gripping means secured to the transfer means.

According to a particular embodiment, the transfer means comprise at least two rollers, upper and lower, at least one of which is motor, around which is wound a support band in closed loop on which are attached the means for gripping the panels .

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gripping means comprise electromagnets distributed on the same line, parallel to the axis of rotation of the rollers, the plunger core of these electromagnets constituting the gripping means proper of the panel and the indexes comprising at least two tabs projecting from the upper edge of each panel, each provided with a hole intended to cooperate with the end of the plunger core of the electromagnet opposite.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the frame is substantially parallelepiped, of width and height corresponding substantially to those of the panel to be displayed and of shallow depth corresponding substantially to the diameter of the rollers increased by the thickness of the magazine which is disposed on the face rear, opposite the face comprising the display window.

According to another characteristic, the frame comprises a unit for controlling selection, gripping and transfer means.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the magazine is a removable cassette comprising a memory programmed for the order and the duration of passage of the panels which it contains as well as connections making it possible to unload the contents of the programmed memory of the cassette. towards the control unit.

Furthermore, the modules are also juxtaposed and connectable along the longitudinal axis, so as to produce a large-width display.

According to a particular embodiment, the frame is inclined at the rear so as to allow the panels to be detached and automatically stacked by simple gravity.

According to a particular embodiment, the panel comprises a plate supporting the indexes, deformable so as to match the radius of curvature of the rollers, to which the information proper is related.

• la figure 1 représente une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif d'affichage selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 représente une vue de face du dispositif d'affichage avec arrachement partiel,
• la figure 3 représente une vue de côté du dispositif d'affichage selon l'invention avec le carter latéral retiré,
• la figure 4 représente une vue arrière du dispositif d'affichage selon l'invention,
• la figure 5 représente une vue schématique en perspective de la disposition des panneaux au sein de la cassette, et
• la figure 6 est une vue de détail d'un électroaimant des moyens de sélection et de préhension.

The invention is described below according to a particular embodiment of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a schematic perspective view of a display device according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 represents a front view of the display device with partial cutaway,
• FIG. 3 represents a side view of the display device according to the invention with the side casing removed,
• FIG. 4 represents a rear view of the display device according to the invention,
• FIG. 5 represents a schematic perspective view of the arrangement of the panels within the cassette, and
• Figure 6 is a detail view of an electromagnet of the selection and gripping means.

FIG. 1 shows a display device according to the invention, which comprises a frame 10, a display window 12, transfer means 14 and a magazine 16.

The frame 10 is shown in Figure 2, seen from the front with a partial cutaway. We can consider that this frame has a substantially parallelepiped shape of large width and height but shallow depth.

Furthermore, the frame 10 comprises a foot 18 secured to the parallelepipedal part oriented towards the rear so as to give the entire frame a certain stability taking into account that the parallelepiped is slightly inclined on the rear.

In addition, wheels 20 are integrated in the stand 18 so as to allow movement of the entire display device.

The display window 12 has a width substantially equal to that of the parallelepiped, to the thickness near the casing enveloping the parallelepiped and determining the display window 12.

This display window 12 is oriented towards the front of the device and is delimited by an upper strip 22 and a lower strip 24 intended to mask the transfer means 14 which will be described later.

In Figure 2, there is shown a front view of the device with a partial cutaway.

The display window 12 comprises a transparent front wall 26 fixed relative to the frame, more particularly with respect to the upper strip 22 and the lower strip 24 so as to provide protection and sealing of the interior of the frame and of the members that 'it contains.

The device 14 for transferring the panels 28 comprises a mechanical system 30 for transferring the gripping means 32 and the selection means 34.

As shown in detail in FIG. 6, the gripping means 32 consist of the end of the plunger core of an electromagnetic jack 36 comprising an electromagnet 38.

The excitation of this electromagnet 38 causes the displacement of the gripping means 32, in this case the plunger, in the direction indicated by the arrow 40. This jack 36 is fixed directly on a support bar 41, integral with a band 42 in closed loop mounted around two notched pulleys 44, driven in rotation by a shaft 46, all of the upper and lower mechanical systems 30 being synchronized by a notched belt 48 cooperating with the pulleys and integral with said band.

The motorization in itself has not been indicated because it is known to those skilled in the art and can be arranged between the upper and lower pulleys 44.

It is also provided on the notched belts of the pressing elements 50, of the spring leaf type for example.

On the sides, flanges 52 integral with the casing simultaneously guide the strip in closed loop 42 on its lateral part masked by the upper strip 22 while ensuring a bearing role for the shaft 46, and keeping the panel plated on the tape.

Furthermore, the bore serving as a bearing inside the flange opens out and the lateral casing is also provided with a hole opposite the bore of the flange and provided with a removable cover.

The reserve 16 is shown in detail in partial view in FIG. 5. It comprises a casing 54, in which the panels 28 are arranged, parallel to each other and provided with tongues 56 respectively A , B and C for the three panels shown , these tabs being at variable distances from the edges, the panels being aligned.

Each protruding tongue is provided with a hole 58 at its upper part, that is to say above the panel itself.

Furthermore, this cassette is provided with a memory 60 and a pin 62 intended to be connected with a corresponding pin, not shown, secured to the frame of the display device.

These panels are oriented so that the tabs are in the high position.

The frame of the display device according to the invention comprises a foot 18 oriented towards the rear and ensuring the stability of the assembly as shown in detail in FIG. 3.

Inside this foot 18, there is provided a unit 64 for piloting the selection, gripping and transfer means, this piloting unit being supplied with the information contained in the memory 60 thanks to the connecting pin 62 of The tape.

The operation of the device is described below.

The user positions a module of the display device according to the invention, as has just been described, at the place where he wishes to display the information represented on the display panels 28.

A cassette 54, comprises various panels 28, 28 A, 28 B, 28 C, which are arranged in any order in the cassette, the tab being oriented upwards and the side with the information being oriented towards the rear of the device .

The memory 60 of the cassette has been programmed with the times of passage of the panels and the order of passage of these. As soon as the cassette is connected to the frame 10, the information contained in the memory 60 is transferred, thanks to the pin 62, to the control unit 64.

The control unit 64 therefore has in memory the "tops" of passage, the durations of passage and the coordinates of the panels to be passed.

At a given time t , the display of panel A is provided . Consequently, the electromagnet 38 of the jack 36 A , that is to say of the jack arranged opposite the tongue A, is supplied so that the plunger acting as a support projects out of the body of the jack 36 and the diver passes through the hole 58 of tongue 56 A. The control unit 64 then controls the starting of the motorization so as to rotate the pulleys 44 which themselves drive the toothed belt 48, which itself drives the support strip 42 on which the jacks 36 are attached The poster A is therefore extracted from the reserve 54 and the tongue, mounted flexible with respect to the panel, is driven and curves so as to follow the profile of the strip 42 in closed loop, the tongue being pressed and held by the inside the strip 22, so that the tongue does not "jump" from the end of the plunger of the gripping means 32. In order also to limit the stall, the end of the plunger head is slightly flattened so to give it a blocking power.

In fact, as soon as the strip 42 has been rotated, the electrical supply to the electromagnet 38 and to the jack 36 is cut off so that the plunger retracts relative to the body of the jack.

The tongue being driven, the semi-rigid panel bends in turn and follows the profile of the strip 42 and as soon as the panel begins to descend into the display window 12, it is pressed against the transparent outer protective wall 26 by the plating element springs 50.

As soon as the support system and the tongue are hidden by the lower strip 24, the control unit stops the motorization, so that the face of the panel A carrying the information is perfectly positioned in the display window 12.

Once the exposure time of panel A has elapsed, the control unit supplies power again to the motorization to cause the gripping of panel B by a second series of jacks 36, and simultaneously panel A is returned to its initial position.

During the rotation in the lower part, the tongue is held by the strip 24 on the gripping means 32, the tongue being, after its rotation, held by gravity, the panel exerting by its own weight a pull downwards.

When the panel is in line with the reserve, taking into account the inclination of the frame, the lower part of the panel is housed in the reserve. It then suffices to excite the electromagnet of the jack 36 so that the tongue is released from the gripping means 32. The panel, of sufficient rigidity, is pressed against the panel C remaining in the reserve. During this phase, the panel B has been placed to the right of the display window 12 and it remains for the programmed duration.

The control unit thus causes the display of the various panels at the different times and for the established durations.

Programming can be provided so that, after panel B , panel C appears, but it is also possible after panel C to have panel A appear directly. Indeed, the chronological order of passage is indifferent since the jacks can hang the tabs opposite. It is therefore sufficient to program the movement of the jack corresponding to the tabs of the panel that one wishes to see displayed, the order of passage or the order of replacement of the panels in the reserve not being linked to one another.

The user can also change display panels almost instantly. It suffices for this to prepare a cassette and to put in the memory 60 the necessary information, then to substitute the second cassette for the first, the information transmitted to the control unit by the first cassette being erased and replaced by the information contained in the memory 60 of the second cassette.

The use which has just been described has been in the context of an autonomous unit, but it is also possible to remotely control the order of passage of the panels.

In this case, the cassette has no memory and the control unit 64 is connected either by a radio link or by cable to a control station which may be a program previously introduced into a microcomputer.

The control unit is then directly linked to the pre-established sequence in the microcomputer, which makes it possible to modify in real time, the order of passage of the panels, or quite simply the duration of passage.

If the user wishes to add advertising panels, it suffices to introduce panels into the reserve in place, then to control using the program of the microcomputer the order and the duration of passage of these new panels by compared to others.

The description which was made previously relates to a display device module but it it is also possible to juxtapose several modules so as to obtain very large panels. In this case, the covers arranged on the lateral casings are removed, connecting pieces are introduced so as to connect the shafts 46 of the different modules together, which then no longer constitute a single display device comprising several modules.

It suffices to adapt the order of passage of the panels, synchronization being obtained by the mechanical connection of the rotation shafts. Many variants flow directly from the invention.

This is how the selection and gripping system with jack, tongues and holes can be replaced by simple tongues and gripping means with pliers.

Similarly, the gripping means, that is to say the plunger may itself be an electromagnet on which the tongue covered with a metallic film could come to be pressed by magnetic forces.

As for the motorization and rotation device between two rollers, one can imagine full rollers with an internal motor, rollers with bars, sprockets with chain or any other mode of transfer which remains within the reach of man of the 'art.

Likewise, the frame can be modified, in particular its inclination, or even its general external appearance.

Such a display device can be mounted on poles, for display in the city for example, or well installed on a vehicle for mobile urban display.

As for the materials used to make the frame, the preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the use of composite materials or more generally of plastic materials which allow by molding the manufacture of high precision elements, while the different transparent facades , the panels and the band of the transfer means are provided in suitable materials such as polycarbonate, plasticized sheets for the panels and a transparent plastic film for the band in closed loop.

The production of the panels can advantageously be carried out from plastic sheets, the lateral edges of which are stiffened by a metal tape, slightly bent transversely, equivalent to the measuring tape, so as to ensure sufficient rigidity of the panel when it is in the vertical position while allowing easy bending as soon as the bending begins.

The system can be made bright thanks to neon lights, for example, placed behind the panels.

Similarly, the attachment means may consist of a retractable lug, an inflatable balloon, or an expandable mandrel, arranged at the end of a movable rod, these various means cooperating with the holes in the tabs of the panels.

Claims (10)

Device for displaying information, in particular advertising, comprising a support frame (10) provided with a display window (12), characterized in that it comprises a magazine (16) with at least one support panel (28) information, selection (34) and gripping means (32) of one of said panels, and means (14) for transferring this panel to the right of the display window. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the selection means (34) comprise indexes (56) carried by the panels, facing the gripping means (32), integral with the transfer means. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transfer means (14) comprise at least two rollers (44), upper and lower, at least one of which is powered, around which a strip (42) is wound closed loop support on which are reported the gripping means (32) of the panels. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping means (32) comprise cylinders (36) with electromagnets (38) distributed on the same line, parallel to the axis of rotation of the rollers, the plunger of this electromagnet constituting the actual gripping means of the panel and the indexes (56) comprising at least two tabs projecting from the upper edge of each panel, each provided with a hole (58) intended to cooperate with the plunger of the electromagnet opposite. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (10) is substantially parallelepipedic, of width and height corresponding substantially to those of the panel to be displayed and of shallow depth, substantially corresponding to the diameter of the rollers increases by l thickness of the magazine which is arranged on the rear face opposite to the face comprising the display window. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the frame (10) comprises a control unit (64) of the selection, gripping and transfer means. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the magazine (16) is a removable cassette comprising a memory programmed for the order and the duration of passage of the panels that it contains as well as connections (62) allowing unloading the contents of the programmed memory from the cassette to the control unit (64). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises modules provided with connection and synchronization means along the longitudinal axis so as to produce a display in large width. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (10) is inclined at the rear, so as to allow the panels (28) to be detached and automatically stacked by simple gravity. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each panel (28) consists of a plate, supporting indexes, deformable so as to follow the radius of curvature of the rollers, on which the information itself is related.

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