EP1224892A1

EP1224892A1 - Stand for the display of newspapers, magazines, brochures, advertising material and the like

Info

Publication number: EP1224892A1
Application number: EP01830035A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gian Piero Lombardi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-01-23
Filing date: 2001-01-23
Publication date: 2002-07-24

Abstract

A stand for the display of newspapers, magazines, brochures, advertising material and the like, comprises a steady support base (1), a plurality of slab support elements (2) extending verticalwise from said base (1), and a plurality of elements (3), associated to said support elements (2), for holding the articles to be displayed. Preferably, in this stand, said support elements (2) consist of flat or substantially flat slabs, substantially parallel and equidistant, the height of which decreses starting from an end element thereof acting as backside (4), while said elements (3) for holding the articles to be displayed mainly consist of pockets (5) and/or small containers (6), possibly with transparent walls.

Description

The present invention concerns a stand for the display of different articles in public places, particularly newspapers, magazines, brochures, advertising material and the like.
It often happens that in waiting rooms, for instance those of professional offices, the material to entertain the visitors - such as magazines and publications of various types - is untidily arranged onto pieces of furniture which are not suited for the purpose, thereby causing bulks and inconveniences. Such a disorderly condition is still more evident in the areas of civic centres, as public libraries or meeting places for young or elderly people, wherein the brochures and leaflets concerning the different initiatives are scattered everywhere and are thus difficult to trace. The same situation may arise in many other places, specially public and private waiting rooms.
The main object of the present invention is to supply a piece of furniture, in the form of a stand, to hold and display newspapers, magazines, printed matter, advertising leaflets and the like, which is easy to place and displace, and which can be easily prearranged, handled, kept in order and consulted.
According to the invention, the stand for the display of newspapers, magazines, brochures, advertising material and the like, essentially comprises a steady support base, a plurality of slab support elements extending verticalwise from said base, and a plurality of elements, associated to said support elements, for holding the articles to be displayed.
In the stand according to the present invention, said vertical support elements suitably consist of flat or substantially flat slabs, parallel and equidistant, the height of which decreases starting from a vertical end element acting as backside; while said elements for holding the articles to be displayed consist of pockets and/or small containers, having different dimensions and capacities and being differently distributed onto the support elements, they can also be formed with transparent walls. The stand according to the invention can moreover comprise an element to hold articles, in the form of a mailbox, with a front slit to insert the mail and a side-door to withdraw the same.
The support base of the stand according to the invention can - if desired-be provided with wheels for its easy displacement, while its backside can have an upper portion which extends far higher than the other vertical support elements and which comprises a set of holes to apply information labels and so on. The various components of the stand according to the invention can be of metal, plastic material and/or wood.
The invention will now be described in further detail, with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of example on the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front perspective assembly view of a stand according to the present invention;
Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a lateral view of the stand of fig. 1 and a front view showing a detail thereof, which illustrate a preferred way to associate the elements for holding the articles to the support elements of the stand.
As shown in fig. 1, the stand according to the present invention consists of a steady support base 1 and of a plurality of slab support elements 2 extending verticalwise from said base 1, to said elements 2 there being associated a plurality of elements 3 for holding the articles to be displayed.
As shown in figs. 1 and 2, the support elements 2 are flat or substantially flat, and they can preferably consist of flat or slightly shaped slabs, with simply curved surfaces; they are suitably parallel or substantially parallel and equidistant, and their height decreases starting from a vertical end element thereof, considerably higher and eventually thicker than the others, which acts as backside 4.
Preferably, the elements 3 for holding the articles to be displayed are essentially of two types: pockets 5, at least partly of transparent material-suitably, a moulded plastic material - to place in evidence the articles being displayed; and small containers 6, of transparent or opaque material according to requirements, also in this case a moulded plastic material, but even metal or wood.
The pockets 5 and the containers 6 for holding the articles to be displayed can have different dimensions and capacities and are differently distributed onto the support elements 2, to which they can be associated in various ways.
As clearly shown in figs. 2 and 3, in the embodiment of the stand according to the invention, described herein, the pockets 5 and the containers 6 are associated to the support elements 2 by fixing their bottom (5A for the pockets 5), with at least two bolts 7, onto the top portion 8 - bent at 90° - of the elements 2, the depth of said top portion being slightly less than the distance between said elements 2. Such pockets 5 and containers 6 can be easily associated in other ways, for instance by being glued to the walls of one or both support elements 2, between which they are positioned.
According to the invention, some of the elements 3 for holding the articles on the stand may have a particular structure and destination. For example, figs. 1 and 2 illustrate one of these elements in the form of a mailbox 9, with a front slit 9A to insert the mail and a side-door 9B to withdraw the mail. Normal containers 6 are positioned on top of the mailbox 9, and smaller separate containers 6 are positioned in front of the mailbox 9 to hold pencils, pens and the like.
According to a further characteristic of the invention, the backside 4 of the stand comprises, on its upper portion 4A extending far higher than the other vertical support elements 2, a set of holes 10.
Said holes 10 allow to apply in an easily removable manner (for example by means of pins, pegs and the like) information and/or publicity labels 11, and small containers 12 to hold visiting cards and other small objects of very limited weight. In the embodiment of the stand shown in figs. 1 and 2, one of the holes 10 is used to hang a clock 13.
The support base 1 of the stand can be provided with wheels (not shown) for its easy displacement, and with a rear support 14 to strengthen the anchorage of the backside 4 to said base 1 and/or to house a removable basket (not shown), meant to hold displayed articles no longer in use, or damaged, and to act as a wastepaper basket. Preferably, in the use of the stand according to the invention, the pockets 5 are suited and designed to hold newspapers and/or magazines and/or large leaflets and brochures, while the containers 6 are suited and used to hold smaller leaflets and printed matter, pads, pens, rubbers, pencils and the like.
The stand according to the invention, described heretofore, has the great advantage of allowing to arrange in good order all the material which may interest the public visiting the area in which the stand has been placed, and to make it easier for the visitors to keep said material in order. This specifically applies to newspapers and magazines which, after having been consulted, can be easily put back into the respective containers 5, thanks to the substantially corresponding and anyhow appropriate dimensions thereof. In particular, the presence of the mailbox 9 often represents a stylish and functional spot for the visitors to be able to transmit requests and suggestions in an anonimous and reserved manner. The back into the respective containers 5, thanks to the substantially corresponding and anyhow appropriate dimensions thereof. In particular, the presence of the mailbox 3 often represents a stylish and functional spot for the visitors to be able to transmit requests and suggestions in an anonimous and reserved manner. The supply of pens, pencils and rubbers into the containers 6 make it very simple and convenient for the user to communicate with the operators of the area in which the stand has been placed. Particularly for what concerns the civic centres, one can avoid using - for suggestions and complaints - the containers created for other purposes and then converted, with an aesthetically questionable taste, into containers designed for such requirements. Furthermore, the presence of a mailbox in the professional offices of small dimensions, as those of medical officers who normally do not dispose of a secretary, allows to reduce the waiting times for the patients and/or pharmaceutical representatives to deliver letters, communications and sheaves of papers. The presence of the information and/or publicity labels 11, and of any other spaces used for promotional purposes, besides the undoubted economical advantage for the operators, is also apt to produce a pleasant and relaxing visual effect on the user.
It is anyhow understood that other embodiments of the stand according to the invention, differing from that described heretofore, can be realized without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

Stand for the display of newspapers, magazines, brochures, advertising material and the like, characterised in that it comprises a steady support base (1), a plurality of slab support elements (2) extending verticalwise from said base (1), and a plurality of elements (3), associated to said support elements (2), for holding the articles to be displayed.
Stand as in claim 1), wherein said vertical support elements (2) consist of flat or substantially flat slabs, substantially parallel and equidistant, the height of which decreases starting from a vertical end element thereof acting as backside (4).
Stand as in claim 2), wherein said backside (4) and some of said support elements (2) are slightly shaped slabs with simply curved surfaces.
Stand as in claims 1) to 3), wherein said elements (3) for holding the articles to be displayed consist of pockets (5) and/or small containers (6).
Stand as in claim 4), wherein said pockets (5) and small containers (6), for holding the articles to be displayed, have different dimensions and capacities and are differently distributed onto the support elements (2).
Stand as in claim 4), wherein said pockets (5) and small containers (6), for holding the articles to be displayed, have transparent walls.
Stand as in claim 1), comprising moreover an element to hold articles in the form of a mailbox (9), with a front slit (9A) to insert the mail and a side-door (9B) to withdraw the same.
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein said support base (1) is provided with wheels for the easy displacement of the stand.
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein said backside (4) comprises an upper portion (4A), extending far higher than the other support elements (2) and having a set of holes (10).
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein the anchorage of said backside (4) to the support base (1) is strengthened by a rear support (14) apt to house a removable wastepaper basket.
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein said pockets (5) are suited to hold newspapers and/or magazines and/or large leaflets and brochures.
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein said small containers (6) are suited to hold small leaflets, printed matter, pads, pens, pencils, rubbers and the like.
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein said set of holes (10) is used to apply information and/or publicity labels (11), a clock (13), and small containers (12) to hold visiting cards and the like.
Stand as in any one of the previous claims, wherein the support base (1), the vertical support elements (2), and the elements (3) for holding the articles to be displayed, are made of metal, plastic material and/or wood.