GB2207274A

GB2207274A - Display device

Info

Publication number: GB2207274A
Application number: GB08814930A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean-Michel Bourg
Original assignee: BOURBON SA
Current assignee: BOURBON SA
Priority date: 1987-06-30
Filing date: 1988-06-23
Publication date: 1989-01-25
Also published as: GB8814930D0; DE8808344U1; IT8821044A0; FR2621800A2; IT1217871B

Abstract

A device for displaying documents, vignettes or small objects comprises a frame which has means 6 for affixation to a supporting surface 13 extending over at least some part of its surface in contact therewith and is integral with a panel 8 offset relative to the rear face of the frame facing away from the supporting surface, a gap 9 being left between the top edge of the panel and the frame for the insertion of information documents. The device may be adhered to a vehicle windscreen or snapped thereto on to resilient hooks. An extension may be provided at the top of the frame to act as a resilient clip to hold a car park ticket Fig 4 (not shown) and the device may be divided into compartments. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE The present invention relates to a device for displaying documents, notably advertisements, notices or other items such as vignettes, and/or for the storage or display of useful or decorative objects of small dimensions.

It is currently traditional to display advertisements for the promotion of products or services, or other notices giving information on products or services, on walls or glazed surfaces in public places or shops. The documents concerned are usually self-adhesive, the adhesive surface being the face of the document bearing the information if the document is intended to be seen through the glazed window to which it is affixed, or the rear surface of the document if it is intended for display on a wall face to which it is affixed. Although this arrangement is satisfactory if the document is intended to remain in place over a substantial period of time, it is not so if the document is to be removed rapidly. In fact, apart from the difficulty of removing the said document, it tends to leave behind traces of adhesive which are difficult to clean off.Finally, the cost of such documents is high and they cannot be used again after removal from the support.

The present invention provides a remedy for these difficulties.

Thus, according to the present invention, a display device comprises a frame which has means for affixation to a supporting surface extending over at least some part of its surface and is integral with a panel offset relative to the rear surface of the frame facing away from the affixation surface, a gap being left between the top edge of the panel and the frame.

The frame and the panel are preferably made from a transparent synthetic material.

In cases when the display device is intended to contain a document and the frame is adapted for affixation to a flat support, the panel is conveniently flat and parallel to the frame.

The display device may be equipped with removable means of affixation to the support.

The document to be displayed, or any other article for presentation, is slid into the compartment lying between the support and the panel, through the gap left along the top edge thereof. If the support consists of a window, the document can be disposed so as to be visible through the window, and if the display device is made from a transparent material the document can be inserted the other way round. It is possible in this case to display two documents back to back, the one visible through the supporting window and the other through the panel.

This device provides the means of exhibiting documents under safe protection, and even permitting free distribution, the surrounding frame ensuring that the documents remain undamaged. The panel in the device can alternatively be made from an opaque material for use as a writing surface, or it can include cut-outs permitting personalization of the types of product on display. Again, the device can be provided with internal compartments extending perpendicular to the panel and subtending a number of areas for articles of different types.

A number of embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of display device in accordance with the invention, affixed to a support; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same embodiment, its support and a document on display; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, taken on the line 111-111 in Figure 1, of the affixed device; Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment adapted for affixation to the inside surface of a vehicle windscreen; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a further embodiment, its affixation means and a support; Figure 6 is a perspective view of one corner of this display device affixed to its support;; Figure 7 is a transverse section through the device and its support, taken on the line VII-VII in Figure 6; Figure 8 shows an alternataive embodiment of one corner of the device, when detached from its support; Figure 9 is a similar view to Figure 8, when the device has been affixed to its support; and Figure 1 is a transverse section through this device and its support, taken on the line X-X in Figure 9.

The display device shown in Figures 1 to 3 and designated by the general reference number 2, has a substantially rectangular frame with rounded corners, bounded by two vertical sides 3, a narrower base 4 and a wider top 5.

The base 4 and the top 5 are coated, on one of their faces in a common plane, with an adhesive material 6 which is covered by a protective film 7 before placing the device on a support.

It should be noted that before applying the adhesive 6 the top 5 of the frame can be inscribed with the imprint of some decorative or advertising motif, which will be visible when the device has been set up on its support.

The frame is integral with a panel 8, which is in a plane parallel to that of the frame but offset relative to the rear face of the frame, i.e., that face carrying no adhesive coating, a gap 9 being left between the top edge of the panel and the frame. The base and sides of the panel 8 are attached to the corresponding inside edges of the base 4 and sides 3 of the frame, while the top of the panel is disposed clear of the corresponding inside edge of the top 5 of the frame. The base and sides of the panel are attached to the frame by bridges 1 of material, which are optionally intermittent. A notch 12 is formed in the top edge of the panel 8.

The frame and integral panel of the device are made as a single-piece casting, preferably of some transparent synthetic material.

The device is adapted for affixation by adhesive bonding on a support consisting for example of a pane of glass 13, this operation taking place after removing the protective films 7. The space 14 left between the panel 8 and the support 13 can then be used to accommodate a document 15, which is inserted through the gap 9. The front surface of the document can be turned either way, depending on whether it is to be seen through the glass 13 or through the panel 8, and two documents can be inserted back to back to display information in both directions.

It should be noted that the document or documents on display remain removable from the device, the provision of a notch 12 ensuring that one document 15 can be retrieved instantly for replacement by another, and that the retrieved document remains undamaged and can be used again in the future. It should also be noted that the material bridges 1 can be intermittently disposed, remaining open more particularly in the bottom corners of the frame and leaving spaces or gaps 2 (cf. Figures 1, 2 and 3) to assist in the retrieval of documents or objects 15 from the device, and to facilitate the cleaning of the support 13 and the panel 8 of the device.

Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the display device in which the same features are designated by the same reference numbers as before. It is adapted for displaying a document such as an insurance certificate 16, which must be exhibited on the windscreen 17 of a road vehicle. The top 5 of the frame is extended away from the frame proper, providing a shaped tongue 18 which can be integral with the rest of the device, and is adapted to press elastically against the windscreen 17. It is also possible to clip some other document, such as a car park ticket 19, between the tongue and the windscreen.

The display device shown in Figures 5 to 7 has a substantially rectangular frame 22 with rounded corners, and an associated panel 23, parallel to and offset behind the frame, a gap 24 being left between the top edges of the panel and the frame. The sides and base of the panel 23 are attached to the frame 22 by material bridges 25 over at least parts of their lengths.

This version of the device, made from polystyrene for example, is adapted for affixation to a support such as the pane of glass 26 shown in the drawing.

The frame 22 has three offsets 27 in the direction of the panel 23, disposed near the middle of the frame base and towards the top ends of its sides. Each of the offsets 27 produces a hollow 28, and the base of each offset contains an aperture 29. With each hollow 28 there is associated a plug 3, the foot 32 of which fits exactly in the hollow 28, while a hook 33 projecting perpendicularly from the foot is adapted to pass through the aperture 29. Each foot 32 is coated, on the far side from the hook 33, with an adhesive material 34, which is protected before the device is affixed to a support by a protective film not shown in the drawings. The hooks 33 are turned inwards so as to press on the rear wall of the panel 23 when the device is affixed to the support.

In practice, the display device is delivered to its users with the plugs 3 mounted on the body of the device.

In order to affix the device to a support, it is only necessary to mark the positions which each plug 3 will occupy and affix them one by one to the pane 26, place the device so that the hollows 28 therein register with the plugs 3, and finally apply pressure in the direction of the plugs --------- to hook the device in place as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

It is also possible, and even preferable, to mount the plugs on the display device, strip off the protective films over the adhesive material on the feet and apply all the plugs simultaneously on to the support. This ensures that the relative positions of the various plugs are correct.

A document 35 or other article for display can be inserted into the cavity bounded by the panel 23 and the pane 26, either before or after affixing the device to the latter.

Figures 8 to 18 show another embodiment of the display device in which like features are designated by the same reference numbers as in Figures 5 to 7. The only difference is that the hooks 33a are turned outwards and rest against parts of the frame which form the offsets 27.

Whatever variant is adopted, it is extremely easy to part the display device from the support by simply bending the hooks. This facilitates cleaning the device and its support, and also makes it eacy to insert or retrieve display articles other than documents, for example articles suspended from hangers fixed on the inside face of the panel 23.

It should be noted that the number of fixing plugs could be varied and the shape and orientation of the hooks carried by them could be different; the display device could contain an internal system of cross-pieces or shelves, and it could itself carry inscriptions, without departing in any way from the concept of the invention.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a frame which has means for affixation to a supporting surface extending over at least some part of its surface and is integral with a panel offset relative to the rear surface of the frame facing away from the affixation surface, a gap being left between the top edge of the panel and the frame.

2. A display device as in Claim 1, wherein the frame and the panel are made from a transparent synthetic material.

3. A display device as in either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein in cases when the display device is intended to contain a document and the frame is adapated for affixation to a flat support, the panel is flat and parallel to the frame. - -

4. A display device as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein in cases when the display device is intended to contain a plurality of documents or objects disposed side by side, it is provided with internal compartment walls extending perpendicular to the panel.

5. A display device as in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the means for affixing the frame to a support consists of a coating of adhesive material protected by a protective film before placing the device on a support.

6. A display device as in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the base and sides of the panel are attached to the corresponding inside edges of the base and sides of the frame and are attached thereto by bridges of material, while the top of the panel is disposed clear of the corresponding inside edge of the top of the frame.

7. A display device as in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein when it is adapted for affixation against a windscreen the top of the frame is extended away from the frame proper, providing a shaped tongue, part of which is adapted to press elastically against the windscreen.

8. A display device as in either of Claims 6 and 7 wherein, the material bridges are interrupted so as to leave gaps adapted to assist in the retrieval of documents and/or to facilitate the cleaning of the support and/or the panel.

9. A display device as in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein, means are provided for its removable affixation to a support.

1Ei. A display device as in Claim 9, wherein the means of removable affixation to a support consist of a plurality of plugs, each of which has a foot coated with an adhesive material for firm affixation to the support, and extends perpendicularly from the foot to form a hook for removable affixation of the display device to the plugs.

11. A display device as in Claim 1PI, wherein, in register with each fixing plug, the frame has a hollow adapted to accommodate the foot of the said plug, an aperture being provided in the base of the hollow to allow the hook to pass through.

12. A display device as in Claim 11, wherein each hollow adapted to accommodate the foot of a plug is bounded by an offset in the frame, in the direction of the panel.

13. A display device as in any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein three fixing plugs are provided, two disposed towards the top ends of the sides and the third midway along the base.

14. A display device as in any one of Claims lld to 13, wherein each hook is turned inwards so as to rest on the rear wall of the panel.

15. A display device as in any one of Claims 11? to 13, wherein each hook is turned outwards so as to rest on the frame.

16. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 4, Figures 5 to 7, or Figures 8 to 1.