GB2105895A - Display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A row of rotatable display members 2 can be indexed in steps to present successive composite displays. Each member 2 has individually detachable panels 10 so that displays can be changed. The member 2 may have a lower turntable 30 with a central tubular support 50 mounted non-rigidly thereon and extending to an upper bearing (76). The turntable 30 may have paraxial projections 46 slidably receivable in channels 18 in the panels 10. For supporting the upper regions of the panels, there may be pins 52 extending radially from the tubular supports 50 with heads slidably retained in the channels. Or there may be upper turntables (76) like the lower ones, with opposed axial projections (78). A panel 10 can be lifted so that it is freed from the lower projections 46, swung outwardly, then lowered to disengage the upper pins 52 or projections (78). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display apparatus The present invention relates to a display apparatus having at least two displays which are movable to present different ones of the displays to a viewer.

In a known form of apparatus a plurality of elongate, multi-sided display members are rotatably mounted about spaced longitudinal axes. Corresponding sides of each display member can be mutually aligned to provide a flat composite sign display surface. The number of these surfaces corresponds to the number of individual sides on each of the members and is commonly two or three. The display members are rotated to provide changed display surfaces by means of a motor driven belt arranged to turn pulleys or sprockets, one of which is mounted at an end of each display member. In, for example, a three-surface display of this known type, each display member comprises a unit in the form of a trigonal prism. This unit has rotational mounting means at the centres of its axial faces. It extends over the full height of the display, and is thus bulky and tends to be heavy.Furthermore it may be difficult to ensure axial symmetry of the unit and of its mounting means. It is not convenient to change just one of the three displays.

According to the present invention there is provided a display apparatus having at least one display member which has two or more elongate display sides and is mounted for rotation between the positions in which different display sides are displayed, and wherein said display sides are provided by front faces of individually detachable elongate display panels, each said panel having mounting means which are detachably engageable with complementary mounting means of the display member to retain the panel on the member in a configuration in which its display side is displayable, said mounting means being mutually disengageable after longitudinal displacement of the panel relative to the member from the display configuration.

Preferably the or each display member has at least three said display panels. Said panels may have complementary lateral edge formations, the member being so dimensioned and arranged that the panels when mounted in their display configurations engage adjacent panels with mutual engagement of their complementary edge formations. This can give the display member good strength and stability.

The display apparatus may include a piurality of synchronously movable display members, preferably so disposed that the displayed sides form a virtually continuous display surface. Usually there will be three panels per member, defining a trigonal prism.

The display member may include a rotatable hub having at least one upward projection per panel, and each panel may have means at its lower edge defining at least one corresponding aperture in which a projection is receivable. The display member may include in an upper region a central support from which a number of pins equal to the number of panels extend radially outwardly, the pins having enlarged heads which are slidably engageable in respective narrow-mouthed channels in the panels. Each panel may have longitudinally extending flanges defining a longitudinal channel which defines said aperture at the lower edge and constitutes said narrow-mouthed channel.

A second embodiment uses different means for retaining the panels. Thus said mounting means and complementary mounting means comprise, for each longitudinal end portion of a said panel, at least two axially extending projections and channel means in which the projections are receivable for mountingZtongi- tudinal displacement of a panel is possible to free the projections from the channel(s) at one end of the panel, while the projections at the other end are received more deeply in the channel(s), whereupon the panel can be removed.

For example, each panel may have means defining a longitudinal channel, while the display member has, for each display side, two opposed, longitudinally spaced pairs of projections, each pair being receivable in the channel at a respective end of a panel. The projections may be so dimensioned that when the pair at one end of the panel (typically the lower end) are fully received within the channel, the pair at the upper end are only partly received in the channel, so that longitudinal displacement of the panel to increase the reception of the projections at said other end in the channel frees the projections at the first said end, whereupon the panel can be removed.

In order to mount a panel on the display member, the projections and channels at one end (usually the upper end) are engaged, with the projections received more deeply in the channel(s) than in the normal mounted state, whereupon the panel can be moved to a configuration in which it can be displaced longitudinally so that projections are engaged in channels at both ends of the panel. To facilitate the engagement of the first end of the panel, the display member may have a guide surface disposed to enable an end of a panel to be slid along to a position in which projections and a channel or channels can engage.

The rotatable hub may have a central boss over which an elongate tubular member is engageable, said tubular member extending upwardly towards a bearing to which it is coupled, and constituting said central support.

The tubular member may be supported non rigidly by the hub, e.g. gripping the boss via a resilient O-ring. It may be an extrusion. The usual deviations of shape to be expected in (e.g.) aluminium extrusions are acceptable, partly owing to the non-rigid connection to the hub, and to the fact that it is not connected to the panels at the bottom. It will in general be connected to them near its top, but firstly the connections will not generally be wholly rigid, and secondly the connection region can be close to the bearing.

The panels are not bulky: they may be substantially flat, and so easily stackabie and transportable. They can be light and inexpensive. Thus it may be convenient to maintain a stock of panels whose displays can be changed as required, and from which a set of panels can be taken to change one or more displays of a display apparatus. In a further aspect of the invention provides a kit comprising a display apparatus having m display members, each being resided and bearing n panels, and at least m further panels for use in changing at least one display thereof.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a display sub-unit of a first embodiment of the invention, looking downwardly at a lower mounting assembly for display panels; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the lower mounting assembly; Figure 3 is a view from beneath of the lower mounting assembly; Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 1 showing the interconnection of two display panels; Figure 5 is a plan view of a display sub-unit showing the upper mounting assembly, the lower assembly being omitted for clarity; Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of a display assembly; Figure 7 is a front elevation of the upper region of a display assembly; Figure 8 is an elevation of a three-sided display member of a second embodiment of the invention;; Figure 9 is a section on line A-A in Fig. 8; Figure 10 is a horizontal section through a display panel as seen in Fig. 9, on a larger scale; Figure 11 is a detail of Fig. 10 on a still larger scale; and Figure 12 is a front elevation on a smaller scale of a part of a display apparatus including components as shown in Figs. 8 to 11.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 7, a display assembly 1 embodying the invention includes a row of display sub-units 2, each of which includes three elongate display panels 10 connected to form an upright trigonal prism.

As shown in Fig. 6 the display assembly 1 has a casing including a rigid frame 57, a clear front panel 58 (suitably of toughened glass or plastics), and an opaque rear panel 59. The display assembly is openable for access (e.g. by the front panel 58 being hinged at one lateral edge to the frame 57) and lockable in the closed position. Generally one panel of each sub-unit is visible from the front of the display assembly. Periodically all of the sub-units are rotated through 120 about their longitudinal axes so as to display further faces. In use, each panel bears display material such that at any time the visible faces of the whole row form a composite display.

For example, each panel may have a vertical strip of an advertising poster adhered to it, and the three panels of each prism may bear corresponding strips of three different posters.

As seen in Fig. 1, each panel 10 has a planar front face 12, and a rear face 14 from which four L-sectioned flanges extend rearwardly. Two of these flanges 1 6 are arranged near the centre of the panel 10 so as to define a channel 1 8 having a narrowed mouth 20. The other two flanges 22 serve to strengthen the panel against bending. If the panel is made by extrusion (e.g. from aluminium), the presence of the flanges 22 is further useful in that the newly-formed extrusion can stand stably on the four flanges. Of course, the flanges 22 may be omitted, e.g. if other materials or manufacturing techniques are used, or if bending is not likely to be a problem.

Opposite longitudinal edges of the panel 10 have complementary male (24) and female (26) mitre formations respectively, as may be seen more clearly from Fig. 4. Thus three like panels can be placed together to form a display sub-unit 28 in the form of a trigonal prism.

The display assembly 1 has a horizontally extending base from which there extend upwardly a row of pins, coaxial with respective display sub-units 2. On each pin a turntable unit 30 is mounted. Each turntable unit 30 is generally circular, comprising a disc 31 with a central apertured bush 32. A bearing 34 (such as a ball bearing) is mounted in the aperture, so that a central tube portion 36 is freely rotatable relative to the unit 30. In the illustrated embodiment the aperture is stepped, having a narrow lower portion 38 and a wider upper portion 40. The bearing 34 is a sealed unit seated on the step and retained by a spring clip 41, with the tube portion 36 being of slightly smaller diameter than the narrow portion 38, and accessible through it. In use the turntable unit 30 sits over one of the said pins, which engages the tube portion 36. Thus the unit 30 is freely rotatable.

The bush 32 has an annular slot 42 in which is seated an O-ring 44 of resilient material. (See Fig. 2; the O-ring is omitted from Fig. 1 for clarity). The O-ring is so dimensioned that it extends radially outwardly of the bush.

Three studs 46 extend upwardly from the disc 31 adjacent its periphery. The studs have rounded upper end portions 48. They are symmetrically arranged around the disc. In the illustrated embodiment the unit 30 is basically an aluminium turning, and the studs 46 are separate elements mounted via apertures in the disc 31 by means of nuts 48.

However, they could be integral, e.g. if the unit 30 was formed as a plastics moulding.

As seen in Fig. 1, the dimensions of the studs 46 and the channels 1 8 are chosed so that a panel 10 can be placed so as to receive a stud 46 in its channel 1 8 without much play.

The mutual separation of the studs and the width of the panels are likewise chosen so that three panels 10 engaged on respective studs 46 will have their mitre formations 24, 26 engaged so that a trigonal prism is defined.

A rigid cylindrical tube 50 (Fig. 5) is slightly longer than panels 10, and has internal and external diameters such that it can stand centrally on the disc 31 when the panels 10 are in place, engaging the bush 32 firmly via the O-ring 44. At an upper region of the tube 50 (but still some way below the upper ends of the panels 10) there is provided the upper mounting assembly. This comprises three buttons 52 secured to the tube 50 at equal angular intervals so that their broadened heads 54 are radially outwardly spaced from it. As shown, the buttons may be of stainless steel and tubular, being secured to the tube 50 by means of rivets 56 whose heads are within the tube 50.The heads 54 of the buttons are shaped and dimensioned so as to fit slidably in the channels 1 8 of the panels with a little play in the radial direction, as will be explained below.

At or adjacent the top of the tube 50, it is fast with a co-axial bevel gear 60 (Fig. 6). A rotatably mounted shaft 62 extends horizontally adjacent the tops of all the tubes 50 of the display, and bears a respective bevel gear 64 engaging with each of the gears 60. The shaft 62 is arranged to be intermittently rotatable in steps, such that each step leads to a 120 rotation of each tube 50 with its associated display sub-unit 2. The preferred means for achieving this is a Geneva drive mechanism. Thus as shown the shaft 62 is fast with the driven wheels 66 of a Geneva mechanism. The Geneva driving wheel 68 is mounted on a shaft 70 which is coupled to a motor (not shown), e.g. via a belt. In operation, the motor may run continuously so that the driving wheel 68 rotates continuously, and causes intermittent synchronous rotation of all the sub-assemblies.When it is desired to change one composite display (or part thereof) the front panel 58 is opened and the rotation is halted with the display in question at the front. Any individual panel 10 of the front display can then be lifted out. This is effected by firstly grasping the panel 10 by its lower edge and raising it until the flanges 1 6 are clear of the stud 46. The panel can then be swung outwardly so as to be clear of the base of the display unit (this relies on the heat 54 of the pin 52 having a sufficient clearance within the channel 18).The panel is then lowered until the pin 52 is disengaged from the channel 1 8. Installation of a panel is achievcd by reversing these steps - i.e. by pushing the panel upwardly with the pin 52 engaged in the channel until the panel can be swung in and allowed to drop down onto the disc 31 with the stud 46 in the channel.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 8 to 1 2. Generally, corresponding elements in the two embodiments are given the same reference numerals.

A display sub-unit 2 is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The display assembly 1 has a horizontally extending floor portion 71 from which there extend upwardly a row of pins 72, on each of which a turntable unit 30 of a respective display sub-unit 28 is mounted. As seen in Fig. 9, each turntable unit 30 is substantially triangular, but with the vertices rounded off to form arcs of a circle. Each turntable unit 30 has a central apertured bush 32. In use, the turntable unit 30 sits over one of the said pins 72, which engages a tube portion 36, so that the unit 30 is freely rotatable.

Three pairs of studs 46 extend upwardly from the turntable unit 30, the studs of each pair being located adjacent either end of a respective one of the straight sides of the unit 30.

A rigid cylindrical tube 50 is slightly longer than the panels 10, and has internal and external diameters such that it can stand centrally on the turntable unit 30 when the panels 10 are in place (as will be described later), engaging the bush 32 firmly via the 0ring 44. At the upper end of the tube 50, it engages a similar formation (an O-ring 44' mounted in a slot 42' in a bush 32') of a coaxial plate 76. This plate is similar in shape and radial extent to the turntable unit 30, the likewise has three pairs of studs 78 extending in an axial direction. The studs on the turntable unit 30 and the plate 76 are mutually opposed, with corresponding pairs being substantially coplanar. The studs 78 of the plate 76 are longer than the studs of the turntable unit 30. The plate 76 may be a metal or plastics casting.It is rotatably suspended (via a bearing 34' and tube portion 36' similar to those of the turntable unit 30) from an upper framework element 79 of the assembly 1.

Above the plate 76, there is a bevel gear 60 coaxial with the tube 50 and fast with it. A rotatably mounted shaft 62 extends horizontally adjacent the tops of all the tubes 50 of the display, and bears a respective bevel gear 64 engaging with each of the gears 60. The shaft 62 is arranged to be intermittently rotatable in steps, such that each step leads to a 120 rotation of each tube 50 with its associated display sub-unit 2. A preferred arrangement for effecting this will be described later.

Since the tube 50 is mounted via a resilient O-ring 44, 44' at each end it is not necessary to ensure the positioning and orientation of the parts of the sub-unit to a high standard of precision. For example, the turntable unit 30, the tube 50 and the plate 76 need not be exactly coaxial.

Figs. 10 and 11 show a single display panel 1 0. It is suitably formed from two pieces of sheet steel. A display piece 1 2 is an elongate rectangular sheet having its longitudinal edge portion bend over (as shown in Fig. 11) to grip the marginal portions of a backing piece 14. The backing piece 14 is shaped so that at the edges it lies flush against the display piece 12, whereas over an intermediate region (corresponding approximately to the straight edge portions of a turntable unit 30) it is spaced from, and parallel to, the display piece 1 2 to define a panel 1 8. The materials and dimensions of the display and backing pieces 12, 1 4 are such that a panel 10 is a reasonably rigid unit, which can be handled on its own with little risk of buckling.

For use, a strip of a poster to be displayed is attached to the front face of the display piece 12, e.g. by means of paste, and then the panel 10 is mounted by offering up the channel 1 8 at the top end to the studs 78, pushing the panel upwardly so that the studs 78 are received largely or wholly within the channels 18, and then swinging the panel inwardly so that the channel 1 8 at the lower end is over the studs 46 on the turntable unit 30. The panel is then allowed to descend until it is resting on the turntable unit 30, with the studs 46 within the channel 1 8. The spacing of the turntable unit 30 and the plate 76, and the length of the studs 78, are chosen so that in this configuration the studs 78, are still partly received within the channel 18.Thus, the panel is held firmly and securely in place by means of the four studs 46, 78. As shown, the studs 78 preferably have enlarged bevelled heads 48. The bevelling facilitates their insertion into the channel, and their dimenions and spacings are such that they are receivable snugly in a channel 18, at or adjacent respective sides thereof.

Each display sub-unit 2 is intended to re ceive three display panels 1 0. The mutual positioning of the sub-units 2 on the pins 72 is such that they can be simultaneously in dexed in 120 steps between respective dis play positions, in each of which one panel 10 of each sub-unit 2 is displayed to the front of the assembly 1, the array of panels 10 forming a single, substantially planar and uninterrupted, poster display surface. As can be seen from Fig. 9, the three panels of each sub-unit 2 fit on the turntable unit 30 so that adjacent panels are in contact, or nearly so, along their lateral edges. The panels 10 can readily be made of any desired size. Of course, a large panel, particularly if made of sheet steel, is quite heavy.To facilitate its mounting to a sub-unit 2, the sub-unit 2 may be formed with a guide surface in an upper reqion, below the plate 76, such that the upper edge of a panel 10 to be mounted can be slid along the guide surface to engage the studs 78 in the channel 1 8. Such guide surfaces may be provided by a prism-shaped element mounted on the cylindrical tube 50.

The channel form of the panels gives them considerable strength. Of course, if in a particular case the materials or the dimensions are such that this strengthening is not required over the whole length, there could be separate channel-defining means at each end region of a panel. Indeed, there might be a separate engagement channel for each stud 46, 78.

The general construction of the display apparatus and the driving mechanism may be as described for the first embodiment. However, an alternative drive arrangement will now be described, with reference to Fig. 12.

Beneath the floor portion 71 of the display assembly 1 there is a motor compartment 100. This contains an electric motor 102 which drives a horizontally extending shaft 104. This in turn drives a further shaft 106 via a torque limiting or friction clutch 1 08.

The clutch 108 is provided so that if something should impede the rotation of the mechanism - for example, the hand of a person trying to change the panels without hav ing switched off the motor-the clutch can slip so that the motor can continue to turn.

Thus the motor will not be damaged, neither will the rest of the mechanism or whatever is jamming it. The horizontal shaft 106 is cou pled to a vertical shaft 108 via Geneva mechanism 110 and a horizontal-vertical gear box 112.

The vertical shaft 108 is fast with the turntable 30 of one of the display sub-units 2.

This sub-unit differs from the others in that its tube 50 is not mounted via O-rings 44, but is mounted fast with the turntable unit 30 and the plate 76, by rivets 114. An upper vertical shaft 109 is fast with the plate 76 and is coupled to the horizontal shaft 62 at the top of the display assembly, which in turn drives the other sub-units via bevel gears 60, as referred to above. Thus the weight of the motor and associated components 110, 11 2 is at the base of the apparatus, rather than up at the top. This is particularly desirable when the apparatus is of substantial height, as may be the case particularly when using panels of the type described for the second embodi ment.

It will be appreciated that various of the features described in connection with either embodiment could be used in connection with the other, mutatis mutandis. Thus for example either of the two driving mechanisms could be used with either type of display sub-units 2.

The mitred corner connections (24, 26), the unitary or two-part panel constructions, and the use of one or two pins 72 are further examples of selectable features. Of course the skilled man will be well able to devise further modifications still within the scope of the invention. For example, the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 2 has one sub-unit 2 mounted rigidly and used for transmitting drive. Alternatively, it can have a central (rigidity mounted) driveshaft to which an ordinary display member assembly is attached non-rigidly, via a universal-joint connection adjacent each end.

Claims (11)

1. A display apparatus having at least one display member which has two or more elongate display sides and is mounted for rotation between positions in which different display sides are displayed, and wherein said display sides are provided by front faces of individually detachable elongate display panels, each said panel having mounting means which are detachably engageable with complementary mounting means of the display member to retain the panel on the member in a configuration in which its display side is displayable, said mounting means being mutually disengageable after longitudinal displacement of the panel relative to the member from the display configuration.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the or each display member has at least three said display panels.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said panels have complementary lateral edge formations, the member being so dimensioned and arranged that the panels when mounted in their display configurations engage adjacent panels with mutual engagement of their complementary edge formations.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the or a display member has a rotatable hub having at least one upward projection per panel, and each panel has means at its lower edge defining at least one corresponding aperture in which a projection is receivable.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein at least one rotatable hub has a central boss over which an elongate tubular member is engageable, said tubular member extending upwardly towards a bearing to which it is coupled, the tubular member being supported non-rigidly by the hub.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the display member has in an upper region a central support from which a number of pins equal to the number of panels extend radially outwardly, the pins having enlarged heads which are slidably engageable in respective narrow-mouthed channels in the panels.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 as appendant on claim 4 or 5 wherein each panel has longitudinally extending flanges defining a longitudinal channel which defines said aperture at the lower edge and constitutes said narrow-mouthed channel.

8. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said mounting means and complementary mounting means comprise, for each longitudinal end portion of a said panel, at least two axially extending projections and channel means in which the projections are receivable for mounting.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein each panel has means defining a longitudinal channel, while the display member has, for each display side, two opposed, longitudinally spaced pairs of projections, each pair being receivable in the channel at a respective end of a panel.

1 0. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the or a display member has a guide surface disposed to enable an end of a panel to be slid along to a position in which projections and a channel or channels can engage.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim including a plurality of said rotatable display members coupled to a common drive means via a Geneva mechanism whereby the display members are synchronously indexable.

1 2. Apparatus according to any preceding claim including a plurality of said rotatable display members having generally upright axes and coupled at or adjacent their upper ends to drive transmission means, one of said members also being coupled at or adjacent its lower end to drive means located substantially beneath the display members, whereby rotary motion is transmissible from the drive means via said one member and said transmission means to the other members.

1 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 2 wherein said members are as defined in claim 4, said one member having an elongate axially extending member fast with its rotatable hub and coupled to said transmission means for effecting said transmission.

1 4. Display apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 and/or Figs. 8 to 1 2 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A display kit comprising an apparatus according to any preceding claim having m display members each of n panel-bearing sides, and at least m further panels.