GB2209591A

GB2209591A - Display stand for vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2209591A
Application number: GB8820157A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johann Tomforde
Original assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Current assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Priority date: 1987-09-07
Filing date: 1988-08-25
Publication date: 1989-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2008-08-25
Also published as: IT8821824A0; FR2620157A1; FR2620157B1; GB8820157D0; DE3729902A1; IT1226614B; DE3729902C2; GB2209591B

Description

1 Display stand for vehicles 2209591 The invention relates to a display

stand for vehicles, particularly but not exclusively for passenger cars or estate cars, comprising a platform and an overhead lighting arrangement.

So-called "island" solutions are known in showrooms and they contrast with the normal louvred ceiling lighting in that reflectors or the like, which are fitted around the vehicle or even only around part of it, brighten individual areas of the car body.

However, this has serious disadvantages in that the painted and glass surfaces have a spotted or mottled effect, the design of the body form is distorted and essential design elements produce an adverse effect or no effect at all, and in that all the surrounding wall, window and louvred ceiling elements are reflected in the car body form, also falsifying the design of the vehicle.

The problem underlying the invention was therefore to avoid these disadvantages and develop a vehicle display stand which accentuates ideally the overall form and stylistic details of the vehicles inside showrooms.

According to the present invention there is provided a display stand for vehicles, comprising a platform and an overhead lighting arrangement, wherein the lighting arrangement comprises at least one light trough which is equipped with fluorescent lamps, and the length of which is adapted to exceed the length of the vehicle for which the stand is intended at the front and rear thereof, and which is covered on its underside by an opaque material.

The opaque material may be opal glass or a textile such as parachute silk. The opaque material is preferably arranged approximately 20 to 50 em below the fluorescent lamps.

The platform is preferably rectangular, and there is provided a light trough having a width approximately equal to the width of the vehicle. A back panel may be arranged 2 in the area of the long side of the platform remote from an observer, and the light trough is arranged offset by approximately half its width relative to the longitudinal central plane of the vehicle in the direction of the observer. A light trap may be provided for the indirect illumination of the back panel. A ceiling covering may be provided in the area between the light trough and back panel.

The platform may be inthe form of a turntable which has a back panel in the area equal to approximately of its outer circumference. The platform may be turntable and there are provided two synchronously rotating light troughs, each of which corresponds to the width of the vehicle on the stand and is arranged offset relative to the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle by approximately half its width in the directi,on of the outer side of the vehicle.

Two reflector columns may be arranged so as to be positioned respectively in front of and behind a vehicle on the stand.

The reflector columns may have a triangular cross-section and the nonmetallized reverse sides of the reflector columns may be designed to receive product information.

Embodiments of the invention will now be explained in more detail below by way of example with reference to the drawing, in which:- Fig.1 shows a front view of a display stand having a rectangular platform, Fig.2 shows a view in the direction of arrow II in Fig.1, with reflector columns being shown only behind the vehicle, Fig.3 shows, on a smaller scale, a plan view of only the platform, Fig.4 shows a front view of a display stand comprising a turntable and a back panel, Fig.5 shows a plan view of the display stand according to Fig.4, Fig.6 shows a view in the direction of arrow VI in one third in the form of a I:

3 1 Fiz. 4, Fig.7 shows a view of a display stand comprising a turntable and synchronously rotating light troughs, Fig.8 shows a plan view of the display stand according to Fig.7, Fig.9 shows a view in the direction of arrow IX in Fig.7, and Fig.10 shows, on a larger scale, a section through a part of the ceiling suspension of the rotatable light troughs.

A display stand having a rectangular platform 1 is shown in Figs.1 to 3 of the drawing, the length of this platform exceeding the maximum length of vehicle to be displayed by at least one metre at both the front and rear. A light trough having a length equal to the length of the platform 1 is provided for the studio-like illumination of the vehicle 2. The light trough 3 consists of two shell halves 3a, 3b and is equipped with, for example, approximately 40 fluorescent lamps each having a power of approximately 60 W. The light emitting zone 4 of the light trough 3 is covered in an unshown manner - preferably approximately 20-50 em and preferably 30 em below the fluorescent lamps - by an opaque material, such as for example opal glass or parachute silk. The width of the light trough 3, which can be seen from Fig.2, is approximately equal to the width of the vehicle 2 to be illuminated and the light trough is arranged in such a manner that it is offset by approximately half its width relative to the longitudinal central plane of the vehicle 2, in the direction of the observer of the left side view of the vehicle - that is, towards the right in Fig.2.

Along the rear long side of the platform 1 which is remote from the observer, there is provided a back panel 5 to which supports 6 for the light trough 3 are attached.

As a background shielding and to reduce reflection, the back panel 5 is provided with a suitable light coloured covering 7 which also covers the ceiling area between the light trough 3 and back panel 5.

4 To improve still further the general representation of the vehicle to be displayed, there are arranged in each corner adjacent to the back panel 5 two reflector columns 8 having non-metallized reverse sides 9 which can be used to"receive product information.

In the case of the display stand shown in Figs.4 to 6 of the drawing, the platform is in the form of a turntable 10 in which approximately one third of its outer circumference is provided with a back panel 11 in front of which a light trap 12 is arranged for receiving indirect illumination for the back panel 11. Supports 13 for retaining a light trough 14 are attached to the back panel 11, the position of which relative to the vehicle 2 corresponds to the previously described embodiment.

Also, in this embodiment of the invention there is provided a covering.15 for the back panel 11 and roof area corresponding to the previously described embodiment.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown iri Figs.7 to 10, the platform is likewise in the form of a turntable 16, but in this case light troughs two synchronously rotating. The latter are mounted 17 are provided together on a frame 18, the upper side of which bears individual brackets 19 in which rollers 20 are mounted. These rollers 20 rest on a circular roller track 21 fixed to the ceiling. At the same time the two light troughs 17 are each arranged offset relative to the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle by approximately half their width, in the direction of the associated outer sides of the vehicle.

Finally, it should also be light trough noted that the fluorescent lamps in the should be arr anged offset in such a manner that gaps between two fluorescent lamps in one row are filled by a fluorescent lamp in the following row, i.e. the gaps meet in each case, example, in every other row. As a result, this can effectively prevent dark strips or the like standing out in contrast in the area of the lower covering of the light trough.

1 for A

Claims

1. Display stand for vehicles, comprising a platform and an overhead lighting arrangement, wherein the lighting arrangement comprises at least one light trough which is equipped with fluorescent lamps, and the length of which is adapted to exceed the length of the vehicle for which the stand is intended at the front and rear thereof, and which is covered on its underside by an opaque material.

2. Display stand according to Claim 1, wherein the' opaque material is opal glass.

3. Display stand according opaque materiaJ is a textile.

to Claim 1, wherein the

4. Display stand according textile is parachute silk.

to claim 3, wherein the

5. Display stand according to Claim 1, wherein the opaque material is arranged approximately 20 to 50 cm below the fluorescent lamps.

6. Display stand according to Claim 1, wherein the platform is rectangular, and there is provided a light trough having a width approximately equal to the width of the vehicle.

7. Display stand according to Claim 6, wherein a back panel is arranged in the area of the long side of the platform remote from an observer, and the light trough is arranged offset by approximately half its width relative to the longitudinal central plane of the vehicle in the direction of the observer.

6

8. Display stand according to Claim 7, wherein a light trap is provided for the indirect illumination of the back panel.

9. Display stand according to Claim 7, wherein a ceiling covering is provided in the area between the light trough and back panel.

10. Display stand according to any one or more of the preceding Claims, wherein the platform is in the form of a turntable which has a back panel in the area equal to approximately one third of its outer circumference.

11. Display stand according to any one or more of the preceding Claims, wherein the platform is in the form of a turntable and that there are provided two synchronously rotating light troughs, each of which corresponds to the width of the vehicle on the stand and is arranged offset relative to the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle by approximately half its width in the direction of the outer side of the vehicle.

12. Display stand according to an-y one or more of the preceding Claims, wherein two reflector columns are arranged so as to be positioned respectively in front of and behind a vehicle on the stand.

13. Display stand according to Claim 12, wherein the reflector columns have a triangular cross-section.

14. Display stand according to Claim 12, wherein the non-metallized reverse sides of the reflector columns are designed to receive product information.

15. Display stand for a vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office. State House. 6671 High Holborn. London WC1R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent Con. V87.

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