GB2105896A - Display unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A display unit comprises a screen 60 or 70 which is retained at its top and bottom edges by two identical wall members 11, 12 of extruded translucent plastics material. The unit contains fluorescent tubes 18 and is mounted on a rear wall by means of internal brackets 13. Information is displayed on a bowed screen 60, for example a poster may be inserted between the layers 62, 63 forming the screen. A flat screen 70 may alternatively be used. Further strips 61 may also carry displays which are back lit by the lights 18. The unit may be located at a small spacing from the rear wall so that light escaping around the edges produces a halo effect to provide a source of additional light in a room in which the unit is installed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display unit The invention relates to a display unit and more particularly to a unit for displaying information on a screen with illumination means behind the screen.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a display unit comprising a front screen member, top and bottom wall members and a light source within the unit, the wall members being of light-transmitting material and being provided along their front edges with means for retaining the screen member.

The light-transmitting material is preferably translucent, i.e. capable of diffusing light such that objects behind it are not clearly distinguishable. The material is preferably an extruded plastics material such as styrene or an acrylic plastic.

The retaining means are preferably capable of alternatively retaining one of a plurality of screens having different constructions of their retention parts. The top and bottom wall members may be mutually identical. This has the great advantage that only a single extrusion head is necessary to produce both wall members.

In a preferred arrangement the unit is mounted on the wall of a building by means of at least one internal bracket. The top and bottom wall members are mounted at a slight spacing from the building wall, so that the light source produces a halo effect around the display.

The unit may have end walls which may also be translucent. Alternatively the unit may be mounted end to end with a similar unit, the units being in a straight line or at an angle to each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a display unit comprising two substantially parallel screen supporting members, each member being provided with multiple retaining means for alternatively retaining one of a plurality of screens having different constructions of their retention parts.

The invention also provides a kit including a display unit as defined in the preceding paragraph and two or more screens of differing constructions.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a display unit comprising a front screen member and upper and lower screen retaining wall members, said wall members being identical.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an elongate support member for a display unit, the crosssectional shape of the member having multiple retaining means including portions suitable for supporting in alternative configurations an edge of one of a plurality of screens of different constructions.

The multiple retaining means may comprise a surface against which the edge of a bowed screen abuts combined with a slot adjacent the surface through which the edge of the screen passes and/or hook-shaped portion which supports a rail fixedly secured to the edge of a hanging flat screen.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a display unit in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2a shows an end view of a support member of the display unit of Fig. 1, and Fig.

2b shows an enlarged view of part of Fig. 2a; Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a display unit in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a cut-away view of two display units in accordance with the present invention arranged at an internal corner of a room; and Figure 5 shows a partially cut-away view similar to Fig. 4 but at an external corner of a room.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a display unit 10 comprising top and bottom members 11 and 12, which are of extruded styrene/acrylic plastics material which may be translucent or opaque. The members 11 and 1 2 are supported by a plurality of internal brackets 1 3 which are provided intermediately and adjacent the ends of the display unit. The brackets 1 3 have mounting angle brackets 14 which may be secured, e.g. by screws 15, to a rear background wall. Both brackets 1 3 and angle brackets 14 are preferably of transparent material such as acrylic. Upper and lower portions 1 6 of brackets 1 3 serve as reinforcing straps or partitions for the display unit.

Brackets 1 3 have tubular-shaped resilient holders for supporting fluorescent light tubes 18, such as daylight hot cathode lamps. Control gear for the fluorescent lights, such as starters and ballasts, is mounted in a tray 20 directly secured to the rear background wall by a screw 21.

The lamps 1 8 of the unit are arranged in rows of three. They may overlap transversely, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, or longitudinally; in the latter case the lamps may overlap by 5 inches (13 cm), the length of each lamp being 3 feet (91 cm).

Members 11 and 1 2 are identical and extend along the entire length of the display unit between end caps 30, of translucent or opaque plastics material. Where two display units are arranged to meet end to end, e.g. at a corner of a room, the end caps may be omitted. Each member comprises a vertical first arm 41, Fig. 2, and a horizontal second arm 42 which forms the top or bottom of the display unit 10. Hook-shaped potions 43, 44 extend from the ends of the front surface of arm 41, and an enlarged hook-shaped portion 45 extends from the raar surface of the end of arm 41 remote from arm 42 to define a cavity 47. A small projection 48 with an angled end surface 49, Fig. 2b, also extends from the rear surface of arm 41. Surface 49 extends at an angle if 30 to the arm 41.

The rear surface of arm 41 is provided with a furher projection 51 which is parallel to and at a small spacing from arm 42. The end of arm 42 remote from arm 41 has a hookshaped portion 52 with the limb 53 which extends parallel to and at a small spacing from arm 42. In use projection 51 abuts against the front 54 of each bracket 13, and limb 53 engages in corresponding grooves 55 in the brackets 13.

When in position in a display unit, members 11 and 1 2 may be used to retain either a curved screen 60, or a flat suspended screen 70.

As shown, screen 60 comprises an inner layer 62 of opaque (opal) material and an outer layer 63 of transparent (clear) material.

A poster or a transparency etc. may be placed between the two layers. When the screen is in position its top and bottom edges are retained in cavities 47 of members 11 and 12, with the curved front surface of the screen bearing against angled surfaces 49 and the edges of the screen bearing against the inner sections 45a of hook-shaped portions 45. The screen can be inserted in the cavities 47 by bending the top and bottom edges of the screen towards each other, inserting them into the gaps defined between portions 45 and projections 48 and subsequently releasing the edges of the screen to allow them to adopt their final position.

Strips 61, e.g. of coloured P.V.C. material, are placed between portions 43, 44 of members 11, 1 2. They may carry information or other matter relating to that on screen 60. As shown the strips are curved but in an alternative arrangement they are flat. Since the arms 41 behind strips 61 are of light-transmitting material, the strips are back-lit by the light tubes 18.

As an alternative to screen 60, a flat screen 70 may be provided, only the ends of which are shown in dashed lines in Fig. 1. The screen 70 may be opaque and/or have lettering applied to the front thereof. Along its upper edge the screen is supplied with a rail 71 which is supported by section 45b of the hook-shaped portion 45 of member 11. Thus the top edge of screen 70 is retained between section 45b and projection 48 of member 11, and the bottom edge of the screen is retained by projection 48 of member 1 2.

The display unit may be supplied with screen 60 or screen 70, strips 61 being optional in each case. Alternatively the unit may be supplied as part of a kit including both types of screen; the screens 60, 70 are readily interchangeable by a user of the unit.

The above described display unit has numerous advantages. Since the entire unit is made of translucent or other light-transmitting material, the unit serves not only to display information on the screens 60, 70 and/or 61 but also to light a room in which it is situated.

In addition the arrangement of members 11 and 1 2 permits a plurality of screens to be alternatively used in the display unit. Because members 11 and 1 2 are identical, only one extrusion device is required to produce them, their lengths being selected as desired. The height of the unit may also be selected as desired by choosing brackets 1 3 of the required size.

Various modifications may be made to the display unit described above. For example hook-shaped portions 43, 44 can be omitted from the members 11, 1 2 so that the display unit can accommodate screens 60 and 70 and not strips 61. Alternatively sections 45b may be omitted so that the display unit can accommodate screen 60 but not screen 70; another screen (not shown) may be fixed to the display unit by means of portions 43 and/or portions 44. This further screen may be flat and relatively rigid. In addition arms 42 may be omitted in which case separate top and bottom members (not shown) of any desired dimensions may be provided for the unit. Projections 51 are also optional.

As described the parts of the unit 10 are secured to a rear wall. In alternative arrangements the unit can be mounted on a frame, or it can be free standing.

Screens 60 and 70 and strips 61 may be opaque or transparent, illuminated or nonilluminated. Information or other matter may be displayed on the screens or strips by lettering being applied thereto, by clear lettering etc. being formed in an otherwise opaque or non-light transmitting surface, by back projection or in any other conventional manner.

The screens or strips may be formed as two or more layers with a poster, transparency or lettering etc being interposed therebetween.

The other components of the display unit, i.e. members 11, 1 2 brackets 1 3 and end caps 30 may be opaque, transparent, translucent or light-tight as desired.

Members 11 and 1 2 preferably have outer surfaces which are reeded, i.e. have fine grooves. Alternatively they may be flat to permit them to be covered with lettering, pictures, logos or other display matter.

Referring now to Fig. 3 there is shown a display unit 100 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The extruded plastics members 11, 12, which are exactly the same as in the previous embodiment, are supported by one or more internal brackets 11 3 of clear perspex material. The brackets are secured to a rear panel 102 (e.g.

of chipboard) by angle brackets 14. The members 11, 1 2 are secured to the brackets 11 3 by means of upper and lower intermediate brackets 104, 106 which are slid into a desired position along members 11, 1 2. The intermediate brackets are bolted to the main brackets 11 3 by means of aligned holes 108, one of which is slotted for adjustment purposes. The members 11, 1 2 are located at a slight spacing from rear panel 102 to permit lamps 1 8 to provide a halo effect on panel 102 around the display.

The brackets 11 3 are provided with recesses 110 for receiving and supporting the fluorescent light tubes 1 8. The tubes 1 8 are arranged end-to-end in two rows, the joins between the tubes in each row being staggered. The embodiment of Fig. 3 has the same advantages as that of Fig. 1 and the same modifications may be made to it.

Various further modifications may also be made to the above described embodiments.

For example, the display unit may be longer than the length of a single screen 60. In this case two or more screens 60 arranged end-toend are employed. To conceal the joins between the individual screens the join between adjacent layers 62 is arranged to be staggered relative to the join between adjacent layers 63.

Where the display unit is longer than the length of available extruded members 11, 12, two such members may be joined end-to-end by a rectangular joining plate, of which the length corresponds to the length of arm 42.

One haft of the joining plate is inserted between the projection 51 and the limb 53 of a respective extruded member.

Instead of being provided with fluorescent tubes 1 8 one section of the display unit may be provided with a fan behind the screen 60.

A portion of the rear panel 102 is cut out to suit the fan size. Partitions are positioned between the fan section and the adjacent lit sections to prevent the direct escape of light, to conceal the interior of the display unit and to direct the airflow to the fan as desired.

A length of the display unit along a wall may be terminated either by an end cap or by abutting an adjoining section of display unit.

A suitable end cap comprises a rectangular panel of translucent plastics material having a size corresponding to the cross-section of the display unit. One face of the end cap is provided with horizontal ribs extending adjacent to its top and bottom edges. These ribs are arranged to fit respectively between projections 51 and limbs 53 of top and bottom extruded members 11, 1 2. At the front of the face of the end cap and adjacent to each horizontal rib, there is provided a short vertical rib for engaging between the arm 42 and the section 45a of the respective extruded member.

A length of display unit may abut an adjacent length at either an internal corner, Fig. 4, or an external corner, Fig. 5. At the internal corner two extruded members 1 2, 1 2' are placed together to form a Junction. Between the section 45b and the projection 48 of each member 1 2 is inserted a respective corner fillet 1 20, 1 20' which is then glued in position. The corner of fillet 1 20' is cut away where it fits round portion 45 of member 1 2.

Alternatvely a slot may be cut in the portion 45 to receive the corner of fillet 120'. The upper ends of fillets 1 20, 1 20' are similarly positioned in two members 11.

At the external corner, Fig. 5, two T-shaped corner fillets 130, 130' are attached to two extruded members. The arms 131 of the fillets each engage between the hook-shaped portions 45 of an upper and lower extruded member 11, 1 2. Adjacent each end of each arm 1 31 there is a small gap to receive a section 45a; the arm thus has small end portions which fit between a respective arm 42 and corresponding hook-shaped portion 45. The fillets 130, 130' are glued in position.

The fillets 120, 120', 130, 130' are preferably of translucent plastics material, so that a maximum amount of light reaches the room in which the display unit is installed.

Claims (11)

1. A display unit comprising a front screen member, top and bottom wall members and a light source within the unit, the wall members being of light-transmitting material and being provided along their front edges with means for retaining the screen member.

2. A display unit according to claim 1, wherein the wall members are of translucent material.

3. A display unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall members are of extruded plastics material.

4. A display unit according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining means are capable of alternatively retaining one of a plurality of front screen members having different constructins of their retention parts.

5. A display unit according to any preceding claim wherein the top and bottom wall members are identical.

6. A display unit according to any preceding claim wherein the wall members are mounted on one or more internal brackets.

7. A display unit according to claim 6 wherein the or each internal bracket protrudes slightly beyond the rear of the wall members.

8. A display unit comprising two substantially parallel screen supporting members, each member being provided with multiple retaining means for alternatively retaining one of a plurality of screen having different constructions of their retention parts.

9. A display unit comprising a front screen member and upper and lower screen retaining wall members, said wall members being identical.

10. A display unit substantially as herein described with reference to each of the accompanying drawings.

11. An elongate support member for a display unit, the cross-sectional shape of the member having multiple retaining means including portions suitable for supporting in alternative configurations an edge of one of a plurality of screens of different constructions.

1 2. An elongate support member for a display unit substantially as herein described with reference to each of the accompanying drawings.