EP1092216B1 - Display device by unwinding a data medium screen - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for posting bills by unwinding a fabric (300) carrying information, in which the fabric (300) is wound and unwound around two motorized and synchronized rollers (100, 200) in such a way that the fabric (300) is kept under tension as it is unwound, characterized in that:the top end (310) of the fabric (300) is mounted removably on a fixing module (110) secured to the upper roller (100);the fixing module (110) is connected to the upper roller (100) by an unwinding mechanism (400) allowing the fixing module (110) to be moved down close to the lower roller for fitting and removing the top end (310) of the fabric (300);it comprises means (500, 501, 340) for keeping the fabric under transverse tension.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to the display industry and more specifically to animated display sector operating by the unfolding of a canvas comprising several panels juxtaposed. It relates more particularly to a structure a scrolling display device, which allows the use of posters very large format, which can be used especially outdoors.

Previous techniques

Currently, we mainly know two techniques operating on the principle of dynamic display, i.e. scrolling through several posters mounted on the same information carrier.

Thus, in the field of public display, there are known signs advertisers forming boxes fitted with a display case behind which a strip made up of several juxtaposed posters.

More specifically, such a strip is initially wound on a first roller, and its free end is wound on a second roller, motorized in synchronism with the first.

These two rollers are actuated to ensure movement of the strip, and a stop thereof allowing the display area to coincide with the display case.

Such devices are described in particular in patents FR 2 735 602, FR 2 771 537 and DE-A-195 19 562.

The posters used in this type of device consist of panels connected prints to constitute the poster itself.

The use of posters printed on paper constitutes an obstacle to realization of such devices in very large format. When the number of connections to be made between the printed panels exceeds a certain limit, the operations to constitute the poster itself become long, tedious and can even cause image quality distortions.

In addition, when rolling up a paper poster with a width important, we frequently see the appearance of folds, which degrade the appearance of the image, and can even cause tears.

In addition, the folds constitute the extra thicknesses at the winding of the band, which can cause deformation or blockage of the system winding.

Furthermore, the transposition of such scrolling panels to very important, require the use of boxes which are necessarily bulky, and which have a display case which is difficult to handle because it is heavy, and particularly exposed to the risks of vandalism.

We know a second technique using dynamic display, which is mainly used in advertising media installed around the areas of game of sports facilities.

Such devices are distributed at the edge of the land so as to be in the field of television broadcast cameras, and the unwinding mechanism the poster is activated as and when retransmission, depending on the rental of advertising space.

Because of their exposure to shock risks, such devices must be able to withstand significant efforts, and are therefore relatively large modest. More generally, such devices are equipped with a solid panel installed at the rear of the information carrier, and intended to ensure its rigidity for bear the impacts.

The design of such devices is opposed to their declination in large sizes, since the information carrier is not stretched and is therefore subject to external constraints such as wind, which prevents winding suitable.

In addition, the presence of such a panel is incompatible with the possibility of backlight a poster to allow it to be visible in the dark.

The objective of the invention is to provide a display device which can be declined in a multiplicity of formats, in particular in large dimensions, while being able to withstand phenomena atmospheres likely to distort the poster and cause the formation of folds, particularly detrimental to the quality of the winding.

Statement of the invention

The invention therefore relates to a display device by unwinding of a canvas information carrier, in which the canvas wraps and unwinds around two motorized rollers synchronized, so that the fabric is held under tension during its unfolding.

• l'extrémité haute de la toile est montée de façon amovible sur un module de fixation solidaire du rouleau supérieur ;
• le module de fixation est relié au rouleau supérieur par un mécanisme déroulant permettant le déplacement du module de fixation à proximité du rouleau inférieur, pour le montage et le démontage de l'extrémité haute de la toile ;
• il comporte des moyens de maintien sous tension transversale de la toile.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that:

• the upper end of the fabric is removably mounted on a fixing module secured to the upper roller;
• the fixing module is connected to the upper roller by a drop-down mechanism allowing the fixing module to be moved close to the lower roller, for mounting and dismounting the upper end of the fabric;
• it includes means for keeping the fabric under transverse tension.

In other words, in the display device according to the invention, the setting in place of the poster around the drive rollers is done at a specific element, mechanically separable from the upper roller, to facilitate installation operations by bringing this fixing module closer to the area bottom of the roll-down panel, i.e. near the bottom roller.

The actuation of the upper roller therefore ensures the ascent of the module fixing and securing the upper end of the canvas with the roller superior.

In addition, thanks to the means for keeping the fabric under transverse tension, the latter is liable to undergo the forces generated by the air currents, or any other atmospheric disturbance, without its geometry being strongly changed.

In this way, the winding of the fabric takes place very regularly, without no fold has the possibility of starting near the area winding, either at the upper roller or at the lower roller.

This advantageous arrangement is further improved when the fabric is produced in an extensible plastic material, such as in particular a polychloride film vinyl or polypropylene or polyethylene.

Indeed, in this case, the fabric may undergo a slight deformation of curvature due to wind action for example, but this deformation is easily canceled by the longitudinal tension exerted by the upper rollers and lower during the winding operation.

However, the invention also covers the variants in which the canvas consists of a relatively inextensible coated fabric.

Advantageously in practice, the fixing module can consist of a profile having a groove capable of receiving and retaining a rod mounted on the upper end of the canvas.

In this way, the establishment of the canvas is facilitated by using a mechanism such as that described in patent EP 0 294 301. Such a profile has the essential advantages of an easy installation of the fabric, and a very good resistance to lifting forces.

However, in other embodiments, the fixing module can operate on different principles, while remaining within the scope of the invention.

Advantageously in practice, the drop-down mechanism connecting the module attachment to the upper roller may consist of a plurality of straps integral with the upper roller at their first end, and the fixing module by their second end. The straps can be replaced by any means equivalent, including cables.

These straps are wrapped and unwound around the upper roller depending on whether the fixing module is lowered for the poster placement operation, or reassembled for winding the canvas on the upper roller.

Advantageously in practice, the upper roller has zones of smaller diameter, intended to accommodate straps when winding the canvas, so that once wrapped, the straps do not exceed the diameter main roller.

In other words, as they are rolled up, the straps integrate inside an area provided for this purpose in the upper roller, so that it does not cause any excess thickness on the diameter of the upper roller, which would cause deformations of the canvas during its winding.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the upper roller has a housing capable of accommodating the fixing module during the winding of the fabric.

In other words, when the poster is about to be in contact with the roller upper, and that the fixing module is near the upper roller, it comes fit into this longitudinal housing of the roller.

Advantageously in practice, the fixing module and the housing intended for accommodate it have a geometry such that when the module is in place in said housing, it does not exceed the diameter of the upper roller.

In this way, the upper roller has a geometry as cylindrical as possible, to allow a regular and uniform winding of the fabric, and not create a fold start.

• un jonc latéral monté sur les lisières de la toile ;
• une paire de profilés disposés en regard desdites lisières, chaque profilé comportant une gorge à l'intérieur de laquelle le jonc est apte à coulisser, ladite gorge étant agencée pour empêcher la sortie du jonc sous l'effet d'une traction exercée perpendiculairement au profilé.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the means for keeping the fabric under transverse tension consist of:

• a side rod mounted on the edges of the fabric;
• a pair of profiles arranged opposite said selvedges, each profile having a groove inside which the rod is capable of sliding, said groove being arranged to prevent the exit of the rod under the effect of a traction exerted perpendicular to the profile .

In other words, the canvas is equipped with rods present on its borders vertical by which it cooperates with fixed members integral with the device of unfolding.

Although the lateral guidance of the fabric generates friction phenomena somewhat increasing the power required to operate the device display, this lateral guidance on the other hand makes it possible to eliminate practically all risk of wrinkles when rolling up the fabric on the rollers higher or lower.

In a preferred form, the guidance is obtained by the cooperation of a rod and of a profile forming a slide, but other embodiments can be adopted, such as in particular the use of perforations at the edge of the canvas cooperating with spiked rollers arranged along the path of the side edges.

Advantageously in practice, the end of the upper and lower rollers is of smaller diameter, so as to receive the additional thickness formed by the winding of the side rod.

In this way, as the canvas is rolled up, the side rod comes also roll up at the end of the roll, and the excess thickness formed is cashed in by the difference in diameter.

Advantageously in practice, the ends of the upper rollers and lower are conical.

It was found that the device worked optimally when the rod lateral used was longitudinally undeformable, because the friction phenomena, which appear when the rod slides in the lateral profile, are relatively reduced.

Indeed, the fabric used is advantageously elastic, the side rod non-deformable ensures a certain longitudinal rigidity which prevents blocking of the canvas during its winding and its excessive deformation.

Advantageously in practice, the means for maintaining tension transverse of the fabric are adjustable in width, to allow adaptation to slightly different types of posters, or even with conditions particular atmospheres, for which it is necessary to set the limits acceptable poster distortion.

In another embodiment, the means for maintaining tension transverse are associated with means for increasing the tension transverse of the fabric when the latter is immobilized.

Indeed, in certain cases, it may be interesting to exercise a energizing the poster not only in its longitudinal direction by the rollers, but still exerting a traction perpendicular to its direction of displacement, when the fabric is stopped at the level of the desired area pin up.

In a particular embodiment, the device comprises means fixing the four corners of the fabric on the upper and lower rollers.

Brief description of the figures

La figure 1 est une vue en perspective sommaire du dispositif conforme à l'invention.

La figure 2 est une vue de côté du dispositif montré lors de l'opération de mise en place de l'affiche.

La figure 3 est une vue de côté du même dispositif montré lorsque l'affiche est déjà enroulée sur les deux rouleaux supérieur et inférieur.

La figure 4 est une vue en coupe transversale du dessus du même dispositif.

The manner of carrying out the invention, as well as the advantages which result therefrom, will emerge clearly from the description of the embodiment which follows, with the support of the appended figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a summary perspective view of the device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the device shown during the operation of placing the poster.

Figure 3 is a side view of the same device shown when the poster is already wound on the two upper and lower rollers.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view from above of the same device.

Way of realizing the invention

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the winding display device and unfolding of an information support canvas, referenced D as a whole, has two rollers (100, 200) on which the fabric is wound and unwound (300) not shown in Figure 1.

The roller (100) carries a fixing module (110) capable of moving between the two rollers (100, 200). The lower roller (200) has, for its part, means for fixing the lower end (320) of the fabric (300).

The fixing module (110) of the upper end (310) of the fabric (300) is removably linked to the upper roller (100) in such a way that the rotation of the upper roller in the direction of unwinding illustrated by arrow A, brings the fixing module (110) to the height of the lower roller (200), thus authorizing the installation or removal of the upper end (310) of the fabric (300).

The rotation of the upper roller (100) in the winding direction brings the fixing module (110) pressing against the upper roller (100) while authorizing the winding of the rest of the fabric (300).

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the device in the situation where the module fixing is located in the low position, near the lower roller (200) to allow the operator the easy installation or removal of the upper end of the canvas.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the fixing module (110) can advantageously be constituted by a profile inside which can be temporarily imprisoned a rod (311) integral with the fabric (300).

More specifically, such a profile can for example be of the type described in patent EP 0 294 301, the content of which is incorporated here by reference, so which it will not be necessary to describe in detail. The principle of operation of a such a fixing module is based on the cooperation of a swollen part secured to a end of the fabric, with a profile having a groove whose width of the opening is less than the thickness of the swollen part.

This profile has a flexible zone (112) allowing the introduction of the bulging part (311) inside the groove, this flexible part (112) being arranged in such a way that it opposes the exit of the bulged part (311) to outside the throat.

According to the invention, such a profile can constitute the module for fixing (110) integral with the upper roller (100), and can also be incorporated in part of the lower roller (200), so that the groove of the profile constitutes a generator of the roller (200) capable of receiving the end lower of the canvas itself equipped with a characteristic rush.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper roller (100) has at least two fixing straps (400) whose upper end (410) is linked to the roller upper (100), the lower end (420) of the strap (400) being linked to the module fixing (110).

The strap (400) winds and unwinds around the upper roller (100) so to raise or lower the fixing module (110) in the plane of the fabric. The number of straps (400) is determined according to the width of the fabric.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the upper roller (100) has two winding diameters materialized at a first outer cylinder (120) and a second inner cylinder (130).

The outer cylinder (120) is made up of which one of the separate sections (121) between them by an inner cylinder section (131).

Thus, the canvas (300) is wound up as illustrated in FIG. 3 on the cylinder outside (120), while the strap (400) is wound on the inside cylinder (130).

According to another characteristic of the invention, the upper roller (100) comprises a housing (140) intended to receive the fixing module (100), mounted at the ends (420) of the straps (400).

According to a characteristic of the invention, the housing (140) has a geometry such that the fixing module (110) is embedded therein so as to do not interfere with the winding of the fabric (300), and keep a geometry also cylindrical as possible, to eliminate surface irregularities that are sources of folds.

The length of the fixing strap (400) is determined so that during winding, the fixing module (110) is embedded in the housing (140) provided for this purpose on the upper cylinder (100).

In addition, according to another characteristic of the invention, the fixing module (110) has an outer surface which completes the circumference of the cylinder outside (120), interrupted by the longitudinal housing (140) provided for receive the fixing module (110).

Indeed, the outer surface (111) of the fixing module (110) is preformed so as to take up the radius of curvature of the space created by the presence of the longitudinal housing (140). Thanks to this arrangement, the roller upper (110) therefore remains cylindrical, and the zones of smaller diameter (131) separating the different sections (121) of the outer cylinder (120), are filled by the fixing module (110).

These areas of smaller diameter (131) which are not completely filled can be the cause of other flatness or winding defects in the fabric (400), the strap fixing (400) also has a thin covering sheet (421) on its end low (420).

This thin sheet (421) has a thickness such that the latter fills, while being rolled up, the part of zone of smaller diameter (131) separating the various sections (121) constituting the outer cylinder (120) not filled by the module fixing (110).

Thanks to this characteristic, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the cylinder upper (100) has a perfectly regular and cylindrical geometry, which virtually eliminates the risk of wrinkles.

Advantageously in practice, the upper and lower rollers (100, 200) can be made from the same profile, the lower cylinder (200) comprising a housing in which is permanently mounted a profile identical to that of the fixing module (110).

According to another characteristic of the invention, the device comprises also means for keeping the fabric under transverse tension. These means, as illustrated in FIG. 4, can be formed, on each side of the fabric (300), by a fixed slide (500, 501) having a groove (510) directed towards the fabric (300), and inside which slides a rod (340) integral with a edge (350) of the canvas (300).

In practice, the lateral slide (500) has a groove (510) of which the opening is less than the diameter of the rod (340) integral with the edge (350) of the Web.

As already said, the invention also covers alternative embodiments in which the slide and the housing illustrated in FIG. 4 are replaced by other means of forcing the edges of the canvas to cover a determined trajectory.

Thus, we obtain a similar result using a canvas whose edges have perforations, which cooperate with spiked rollers arranged opposite the edges of the canvas.

This slide (500) can advantageously be made with a material having a low coefficient of friction compared to the lateral rod (340), for limit friction phenomena.

As already said, the lateral rod (340) is made so as to be relatively undeformable longitudinally, so that the forces exerted by the traction of the upper roller (100) are transmitted up to part canvas, to counter friction phenomena, and avoid the elongation of the edge.

Advantageously in practice, the side rails (500) have a wider opening area in the upper and lower parts to facilitate insertion of the rod (340) and the positioning of the canvas.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the upper roller (100) has, at its lateral ends, zones (150) of lesser diameter, advantageously conical, to collect the excess thickness formed by the winding of the side rod.

Regarding the drive of the display device, the rollers upper (100) and lower (200) each comprise a drive means independent of each other, ensuring tension by reverse rotation when the fabric (300) does not scroll, and accelerates or decelerates the next rotation speed the thickness of the fabric (300) wound on each roll (100) and (200).

Electronic and computerized management of the roller rotation speed avoids the use of additional modules for tensioning the integrated fabric with rollers, modules existing in the prior art, but difficult to adapt canvas training very large information carrier.

• les rouleaux (100) et (200) tournent dans le même sens, avec une différence de vitesse gérée par une unité centrale tenant compte du nombre de rotation déjà réalisée ;
• les deux rouleaux supérieur (100) et inférieur (200) s'arrêtent lorsque l'affiche ou l'information présente sur la toile (300), se trouve dans la fenêtre d'affichage ;
• les deux rouleaux supérieur (100) et inférieur (200) amorcent une rotation en sens inverse l'un par rapport à l'autre de façon à tendre la portion de toile (300) affichée, et maintenant cette position jusqu'à la fin de la période d'affichage de l'information présentée.

More precisely, according to an operating method of the device, the following different steps are linked:

• the rollers (100) and (200) rotate in the same direction, with a speed difference managed by a central unit taking into account the number of rotations already carried out;
• the two upper (100) and lower (200) rollers stop when the poster or the information present on the canvas (300) is in the display window;
• the two upper (100) and lower (200) rollers initiate a rotation in opposite directions with respect to each other so as to stretch the displayed portion of fabric (300), and maintaining this position until the end of the display period of the information presented.

This last step is particularly advantageous in the preferred case where the canvas is made of an extensible plastic material, since the flatness of the canvas is then perfectly insured.

According to a particular embodiment, it is possible to provide a mechanism to ensure, when the poster is immobilized, traction additional on the side rails (500, 510). So in some applications, this additional traction still causes a better state of flatness of the poster.

In other embodiments, provision is simply made for the possibility of modify the distance between the side rails (500, 510), to adapt optimal to the width of the poster.

The electronic and computerized management of the drive also allows to perform certain automatic operations. So, for example, the detection of ends of canvas can be used to calculate, using the central unit or a PLC equivalent, the length of the canvas, consequently the number of posters to present.

It follows from all of the above that the device according to the invention allows an optimal display of information support fabrics presenting very varied formats.

Thus, such a device is particularly suitable for large format displays, from 12 m ² up to formats up to 14.5 m wide by 4.5 m high, or even more.

Such a device is perfectly suited for outdoor exposure, since the maintenance of the canvas on its four sides makes it easy to support the variations in weather conditions.

Such a device is therefore particularly wind resistant, but it can also be mounted in closed cases forming a box, possibly backlit.

Claims (14)

1. A device for posting bills by unwinding a fabric (300) carrying information, in which the fabric (300) is wound and unwound around two motorized and synchronized rollers (100, 200) in such a way that the fabric (300) :

   is kept under tension as it is unwound, the top end of the fabric (300) is mounted removably on a fixing module secured to the upper roller:

   the fixing module (110) is connected to the upper roller (100) by an unwinding mechanism (400) allowing the fixing module (110) to be moved down close to the lower roller for fitting and removing the top end (310) of the fabric (300);

   characterized in that:

   the two rollers are motorized and synchronized;

   it comprises means (500, 501, 340) for keeping the fabric under transverse tension.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fabric (300) is made of a film of extensile plastic.
3. The device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the plastic is chosen from the group comprising polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene and polyethylene.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fixing module (110) consists of a section piece which has a groove (113) capable of accommodating and of holding beading (311) mounted on the top end (310) of the fabric (300).
5. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the unwinding mechanism consists of a number of straps (400) secured to the upper roller (100) by their first end (410) and secured to the fixing module (110) by another end (420).
6. The device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the upper roller (100) comprises zones (131) of smaller diameter intended to accommodate the straps (400) when the fabric is wound up, so that once wound up, the straps (400) do not protrude beyond the main diameter of the upper roller (100).
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the upper roller (100) has a housing (140) capable of accommodating the fixing module (110) as the fabric (300) is wound up.
8. The device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the fixing module (110) and the housing (140) intended to accommodate it in the upper roller (100) have a geometry such that when the fixing module (110) is in place in said housing (140) it does not protrude beyond the diameter of the upper roller (100).
9. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means for keeping the fabric under transverse tension consists of:

   lateral beading (340) mounted on the edges (350) of the fabric;

   a pair of section pieces (500, 501) arranged facing said edges, each section piece having a groove (510) inside which the lateral beading (340) can slide, said groove (510) being arranged in such a way as to prevent the lateral beading (340) from coming out under the effect of tension exerted at right angles to the section piece (500).
10. The device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the end (150) of the upper (100) and lower (200) rollers is of smaller diameter, so as to take the extra thickness formed by the winding of the lateral beading (340).
11. The device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the ends (150) of the upper (100) and lower (200) rollers are conical.
12. The device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the lateral beading (340) is longitudinally nondeformable.
13. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the means for maintaining transverse tension are associated with means making it possible to increase the transverse tension in the fabric when the latter is immobilized.
14. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the means for fixing the four corners of the fabric to the upper and lower rollers.

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