GB2248334A - Display sign - Google Patents

Abstract

A display sign comprises a poster-retainer 1 and a main frame 12 which may be supported from the ground on legs 13 or in another form may be wall mounted. The poster retainer comprises a rectangular frame 1 supporting a transparent shoot 2 for displaying a post 16 hold in position by a backing panel 3. A spring latch arrangement 4, 5, 6 directly attaches the poster-retainer to the main frame 12 with the springs 6 then being in compression. The top and bottom latch members 4, 5 and their associated springs 6 locate into track (22. Figure 4) on the concealed face of upper and lower rails of the frame 1. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY SIGN The present invention relates to a display sign, particularly for advertising, and particularly one that allows ready removal and replacement of a poster.

As is well known, retailers frequently want to advertise their products to passers-by on wallmounted display panels or on pavement signs. Since the nature of their products changes from time to time it is necessary for the information displayed to be altered. It would be undesirable for a complete sign to be replaced, and many retailers have therefore taken to the use of posters which are secured in some form of support that protects them and holds them flat and aligned in the desired direction.

Many designs have been proposed for such display signs, and a few such designs will now be referred to as background information. A sign marketed by the present applicants under the Trade Mark Easyloader comprises a ground-standing frame, into which is vertically slid a poster. A hinged top then covers the poster protecting it and preventing its removal.

The sign marketed under the Trade Nark Acecase Poster Unit, also by the present applicants, comprises a frame that is fixed to a wall and has a hinged glass cover that traps behind it a poster. A further sign, known by the Trade Nark "4-Court" comprises a frame that holds together two transparent sheets between which a poster is trapped, the frame being pivotally suspended between the arms of a U-shaped base. The French company, ARI, has a display design comprising a ground standing, generally A-shaped, support hinged at its top to which is attached a rectangular frame.

An assembly for displaying information is then attached to this rectangular frame. The top of the assembly carries a spring and is first hooked over a top of the frame, compressing the spring. When the spring is thus compressed the bottom of the assembly can be hooked underneath the bottom of the frame.

Partial release of the spring causes the top and bottom of the assembly to be retained on the frame.

The assembly is therefore retained in a similar fashion to the way that a cursor is retained on a slide-rule.

Whilst many of the above-mentioned display signs are ideal for many purposes, there may be situations where some modification is desirable. For example, the French design is a rather complicated structure which may be disadvantageous in manufacture and use.

We have now discovered that an improved display sign can be produced in which a poster-retainer is fixed directly to a support, which support may be free standing (optionally with added legs) or may be provided with means for attachment to a wall.

Thus the invention provides a display sign comprising a poster-retainer for holding and displaying a poster behind a transparent panel, a main frame by which the sign is supported, or by which the sign is attached to a wall, and on which the poster is carried, and means for demountably clipping the poster-retainer onto the main frame.

In one form of the sign the poster retainer fits over the main frame or a part of the main frame. In an alternative form the poster retainer fits within the main frame or a part of the main frame. The frame structure may be or include a closed frame structure e.g. a rectangular frame over or into which the poster-retainer fits. Alternatively the frame structure may be an open frame comprising for example catch bars spaced apart from one another along a support to which they are attached.

The poster-retainer is preferably provided as a sub-assembly which comprises a support frame, a transparent panel attached to the support frame, a backing support for the poster and means releasably retaining the backing support to the support frame.

With this arrangement the poster-retainer and the poster within it can be mounted into and demounted from the main frame of the sign as a unit. In a preferred structure the poster-retainer has a top rail and means on the top rail that serves both to clip the poster into the poster retainer and to hold the backing support onto the poster-retainer when the poster-retainer is dismounted from the frame. Such clipping and holding means may comprise a resilient clip that permits the poster to move in translation relative to the frame between one position in which the poster-retainer can be released from the frame and another position in which it is attached to the frame.

The resilient clip is preferably carried in a channel on the blind face of a top rail of the poster-retainer and it is formed with an integral channel in which a leaf spring is entrapped. Advantageously two or more clips and leaf springs are provided on the top rail of the poster-retainer.

The present invention may also provide a display sign, capable of displaying a poster and comprising: (a) a poster-retainer comprising: (i) a backing support for the poster and (ii) a see-through front support for the poster including a panel through which the poster may be displayed, the backing support and front support being such that when they are held together a poster is trapped between them; (b) a support for the poster-retainer which is either free-standing or has means for attachment to a wall; and (c) means for removably attaching the poster retainer directly to the support.

The means (c) may serve also to hold together the backing support and the front support.

We prefer that the means (c) includes no moving parts.

By moving parts in this context we refer to devices such as nuts and bolts, locks, and hinged devices etc. that require direct movement from a first position that allows removal or assembly to a second position that prevents removal or assembly. The term moving parts does not therefore include simple biasing springs that need not be directly operated by the installer.

The means (c) preferably substantially prevents relative movement between the poster-retainer and the support, for example by preventing pivoting motion between them.

The poster-retainer may be attached to the support in a similar fashion to the way in which a cursor is attached to a slide-rule. To this end we prefer that first parts of each of (a) and (b) can be engaged to a first extent and when so engaged, second parts of each of (a) and (b) can be aligned for their engagement; and on partial release of the first parts from the first to a second extent of engagement the second parts become engaged. Means such as a springs, preferably leaf springs, may be provided for holding the first parts in the second extent of engagement.

The first part of one of the poster-retainer and the support is preferably at least partially received within the first part of the other of the poster-retainer and the support thus bringing about the engagement desired. The springs referred to above may be provided within said first part of the other of the poster-retainer and the support. This may be achieved where the poster retainer and the support are generally rectangular (for example being based on a rectangular frames) and the first and second parts comprise opposing sides of the rectangle. Resilient clips or clamps etc carried by the poster-retainer may each slidably engage an edge portion of the frame. A spring, such as a leaf spring, as described above may be trapped such a catch and the edge portion of the frame so that the spring can hold the first parts in the second extent of engagement, so that they are attached securely together.

Whilst the size of the display sign is not critical, we have found that the present invention is particularly useful for signs capable of displaying posters having an area from 1000 to 10000, particularly 2000 to 5000 square centimetres. The poster may be rectangular, which term includes square, and a preferred size is about 75 cm x about 50 cm.

In many cases it will be sufficient for posters in a single plane to be displayed by the display sign, and this will in general be the case when the support is to be fixed to a wall. The display sign may, however, display at least two posters back-to-back or otherwise by providing two or more poster-retainers fixed to the support. For example, one poster-retainer may be removably attached to each side of the support. This may be particularly useful when the support is freestanding.

The front support, which allows the poster to be viewed, preferably comprises a transparent sheet such as glass or a plastics material. The front support may additionally or alternatively comprise a substantially rectangular frame, and the support (b) may also comprise a substantially rectangular frame, preferably of similar size. The support (b) may comprise means for attachment to a wall, for example it may have holes through which screws or bolts may pass. Alternatively or additionally the support (b) may comprise means attached thereto or integral therewith for supporting the sign on the ground such that the sign can be free-standing. Whilst some small additional parts, such as legs, may be attached to support (b), the principal structure that supports the frame should not be additional to and separate from support (b).

For convenience in assembly and use the means (c) may serve not only to hold the poster-retainer and its support together, but may also serve to hold together the backing support and the front support as stated above. In this latter case it may be necessary for the backing support and front support to be temporarily held together by hand until they are combined with the support. Where this would be inconvenient means may be provided to hold together the backing support and the front support, and the catches referred to above may have this additional function.

The various components of the display sign may be manufactured from any suitable material, for example wood, metal or plastics materials. In particular, we prefer that the front support comprises a transparent plastics, glass or other sheet, such as an extruded acrylic material together with a substantially rectangular frame, preferably comprising a metal such as aluminium which may be protected by a polyester or other plastics coating. Alternatively the front support may comprise a mesh, which term includes any sheet structure having sufficently large holes in it.

The backing support may comprise a corrugated plastics or other sheet. The support preferably comprises a metal, again especially a polyester-coated aluminium.

The various components of the display sign may be held together by any suitable technique, and we prefer that the transparent sheet is attached to the rectangular frame by means of double-sided adhesive tape. Rivets, or other suitable fixing means may be used to hold various catches etc. in place.

Various forms of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first form of the display sign and Figure 1(a) is a perspective view of a cleat which is one of the components shown in Figure 1; Figures 2(a), (b) and (c) show assembly of the various parts of the sign; Figures 3(a), (b), (c) and (d) show single and double sided poster-retainer frames; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing attachment of the support to the poster-retainer; and Figure 5 is a view of an upper flange of a top rail of a poster retainer forming part of the display sign figure 1; Figure 6 is perspective view of a top latch that fits inside a poster retaining frame forming part of the sign of figure 1; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second form of the display sign; and Figure 8 is a diagrammatic section of the display sign of figure 7; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a support frame according to a third form of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a free-standing display sign, that can be attached by means of hinges 9 to another similar display sign to form an A-frame pavement sign.

A rectangular frame 1 and a transparent sheet 2 together provide the see-through front support of the invention. A poster 16 is partially shown between the transparent sheet 2 and a backing support 3. The rectangular frame 1 is provided with bottom catches 4 and top catches 5, the top catches being provided with springs 6. In this form of the invention a pair of bottom catches 4 is provided at spaced positions along a bottom rail of frame 1, and a pair of top catches 9 and springs 6 is provided at spaced positions along a top rail of the frame 1. Cleats 15 may be provided to hold together the vertical and horizontal parts of the frame 1. Double-sided adhesive tape 7 may be used to secure together the transparent sheet 2 and the rectangular frame 1. The posterretainer of the invention is therefore provided by the frame 1, the transparent sheet 2 and the backing support 3.The support (b) of the invention is provided by the rectangular frame 12. The catches 5 hook over the top edge of the frame 12, and the catches 4 hook under the bottom edge of the frame 12.

This is done by hooking the top edges 5 over the frame pressing the frame 1 downwards to deform the springs 6 such that the bottom catches 4 can be hooked past the bottom edge of frame 12. The frame 1 is then allowed to rise slightly as the springs 6 partly relax thereby trapping the catches 4 on the bottom edge of the frame 12.

Legs 13 may be located by means of rivets 11 or otherwise secured to the frame 12. End caps 14 may be provided to protect the bottom and tops of the legs 13. Two frames 12 may be joined together by means of hinges 9 to which they are attached by rivets 10. The two parts of the hinge may be secured together by a lock-nut 8. In this way a double, so called A-board, display sign may be constructed.

Figure 2 shows three steps by means of which a posterretainer is secured to a support. In Figure 2(a) a poster 16 is positioned between the backing support 3 and the transparent sheet or front support 2 and clipped into place, after which the parts 1, 3 may be assembled together. The poster 16 is clipped to the front sheet 2 by top catches 5 as described below and the back support 3 fits loosely in the frame 1 to which it is held by rear or back limbs 29 (figure 4) of top catches 5 and by upstanding latch limbs 30 of bottom catches 4. Figure 2(a) shows the top edge of the poster retainer being hooked over the top of the support 4(b). Figure 2(c) of the top edge of the poster retainer is pressed downwards allowing its bottom edge to engage the bottom edge of the support (b). The support (b) is then positioned tightly against poster 16 and frame 1 by the rectangular frame 12 to which it is fastened.

Figure 3 shows examples of both single and doublesided frames. Figures (a) and (b) show single sided frames of box and "I" construction, and Figures (c) and (d) show thicker, double, frames of box and "I" construction.

Figure 4 is a cross-section through a display sign showing the way in which a poster-retainer is secured to a support by means of a top catch 5. The catch 5 can be seen to be slidably retained in a top rail of frame 1 of the front support by a T-profile formation 20 which is slidably received in a corresponding track 22 on a concealed face of the top rail, which is e.g.

an aluminium extrusion and is of angular profile. The end face of the T-formation 20 is formed with a longitudinal groove to receive the spring 6 whose central region is a flush fit with the formation 20 as shown. The track 22 occurs on that part of the rail 24 that projects away from the plane of the sheet 2. More preferably, as seen in figure 5, oppositely facing flanges 25, 26 between which is defined the track 22 are formed with a central cut out 27 to permit the catches 5 and springs 6 to be inserted into a ready assembled frame 1 and slid to their correct positions along the respective rail 24. With this structure each of the two catches 5 can be slidably engaged into a top rail 24 from an end thereof and positioned along the rail before the frame 1 is assembled.According to a preferred feature of the invention the top catches 5 trap the poster 16 between their springy front limbs 28 and the glazing panel 2. The front limbs 28 can be seen to overlie the transparent sheet 2 thereby holding the poster- retainer to this support. The bottom catches 4 are similar to the top catches 5 except that the front limbs 28 are absent and the catches 4 fit into the bottom rail by similar T-formations and grooves.

A leaf spring 6 associated with each top catch 5 can be seen to hold the poster-retainer 1-3 in a raised position above the top edge of the support. It will be noted that the springs 6 have a flat central region with angled limbs extending from the central region.

The central region of each spring 6 fits into a recess on the blind face of the catch 5. In the raised position of the poster retainer 1-3 the upstanding rear limb 29 of bottom catches 4 are held behind a lower rail of rectangular frame 12 and in this latching position served to prevent accidental disengagement of the poster retainer from the frame 12.

The structure described above has a number of advantages in addition to the simplicity of direct connection between the poster retainer 1-3 and the frame 12. Fitting the poster 16 into the poster-retainer is facilitated by the combined latching and poster gripping action of top catches 5.

The catches 4, 5 and the springs 6 can be fitted directly into tracks 22 of the respective top and bottom rails without the springs 6 having to be separately supported. The flanges 25, 26 defining the track 22 can be crimped into lateral cut-outs of the cleats 15 to hold the corners of the frame 1 together.

The frame 1 is therefore easy to assemble and requires a minimum number of parts.

In the above described first form of the sign the dimensions of the frame 1 of the poster retainer are greater than the dimensions of the rectangular frame onto which it fits so that the frame 1 fits onto and conceals the frame 12. In another form of the invention the external dimensions of the frame 1 are less than the external dimensions of the frame 12 so that the frame 1 fits into and is located within the frame 12. In this form of the invention the location can simply be by gravity in the manner in which a sliding door fits into a bookcase, but preferably the poster retainer is spring retained to the frame in which it fits to minimise disturbance by air currents and consequential rattling.

In a second form of the invention diagrammatically illustrated in figures 7 and 8 a free standing sign e.g. for a petrol station forecourt has a base 30 of concrete or recovered rubber loaded, if required, with concrete or other relatively dense material to impede overturning in a high wind is provided with a generally rectangular or otherwise suitably shaped upstanding support structure 32. A top cap 34 and a lower tray 36 are attached to the structure 32 and are each of channel-profile. Outer upstanding or depending flanges of the top cap 34 and the lower tray 36 are spaced from faces 38 of the support frame 32 to define therewith poster-retainer receiving spaces.

Retaining springs 40 are provided within the top cap 34 to each side of the support structure 32 and are concealed behind the downwardly facing flanges of the top cap 34 as shown.

A poster-retaining frame 42 having e.g. a box-section front frame, a transparent front sheet and a back support that fit together generally as indicated in figure 1 to hold a poster between the transparent front sheet and the back support fits to a respective side of the support member 32. For this purpose it is insertable in an inclined attitude with its top rail engaged into the space defined between the downward facing flange of top cap 34 and the face 38. The poster-retainer is pushed upwardly to compress the spring 40 and its lower rail is inserted into the lower tray 36 to attach the poster-retainer to the support member 32.

Poster-retainers may be provided to a single side of the support member 32, or both sides as shown, depending on the application to which the sign is to be put. Furthermore, the springs could be carried by the top rail of the poster-retainer instead of within the top cap 34 as shown. The structure shown in figure 7 and 8 need not be provided on a garage forecourt sign as shown but could be in a single-faced sign to be mounted on an internal or external wall of a building for display of a poster.

Figure 9 shows a support frame for a third form of the invention and provides, with a poster-retainer as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4 to 6 above, one half of an A-frame retail display sign of simple construction and striking and attractive appearance.

It comprises a ground-contacting lower rail 50 of tubular section provided with rubber feet 52 and an upstanding support member or hollow post 44 of rectangular section with its width or dimension parallel to rail 50 greater than its depth. The overall sectional area of the post 44 is greater than that of the rail 50 for greater stiffness. Post 44 and rail 30 are attached together by welding, and both are preferably of aluminium. The post 44 has upper and lower catch rails 46, 48 spaced apart along its length and attached thereto e.g. by rivets, the catch rail 46 being adjacent the apex of post 44. The apex of the post 44 is hinged to the apex of a like post of a complementary form to form the A-frame structure of the sign. The poster carrier may be clipped onto and supported by the rails 46, 48 which define an open frame structure in like manner to the way in which they are attached to the rectangular frame of the sign of Figure 1.

In a further form of the invention two poster carriers or retainers may be held in closely spaced back to back relationship in a single closed or open frame which may be a rectangular closed frame. Thus two poster carriers may be fitted over a rectangular frame which presents features to either face onto which the poster carrier can be clipped as shown in figure 1.

The frame may then be hinged into a U-shaped supporting structure of a retail or garage forecourt sign, for example a frame like that sold by the applicants under the trade name 4-COURT.

Claims (22)

1. A display sign comprising a poster-retainer for holding and displaying a poster behind a transparent panel, a main frame by which the sign is supported or by which the sign is attached to a wall and on which the poster is carried, and means for demountably clipping the poster retainer onto the main frame.

2. A sign according to claim 1, wherein the poster-retainer fits over the main frame.

3. A sign according to claim 1, wherein the poster retainer fits over a frame-receiving part of the main frame.

4. A display sign according to claim 1 wherein the poster-retainer fits within the main frame.

5. A display sign according to any preceding claim, wherein the poster retainer comprises a support frame, a transparent panel attached to the support frame, a backing support for the poster and means releasably retaining the backing support to the support frame.

6. A display sign according to claim 5, wherein the poster retainer has a top rail, and means on the top rail serves both to clip the poster into the poster-retainer and to hold the backing support to the poster-retainer when the poster-retainer is dismounted from the frame.

7. A display sign according to any preceding claim, wherein resilient clip means permits the poster to move in translation relative to the frame between one position in which the poster-retainer can be released from the frame and another position in which it is attached to the frame.

8. A display sign according to claim 7, wherein the resilient clip means is carried by the frame.

9. A display sign according to claim 7, wherein the resilient clip means is carried by the poster-retainer.

10. A display sign according to any preceding claim, wherein the main frame carries a single poster-retainer.

11. A display sign according to any preceding claim, wherein a pair of poster-retainers is carried by opposite faces of the main frame.

12. A display sign according to any of claims 1 to 9 comprising a pair of main frames hinged together to define an A-frame structure of a retail display sign, and a pair of poster-retainers is provided each demountably clipped to a respective main frame.

13. A display sign according to claim 12, wherein each main frame is a rectangular structure with depending legs.

14. A display sign according to claim 12, wherein each main frame comprises a ground-contacting foot bar or tube, an elongate support member attached to and arising from the foot, bar or tube the free ends of the support members being hinged together, and at least one of the support members carrying spaced catch bars for attachment thereto of upper and lower rails of the poster-retainer.

15. A display sign comprising a poster-retainer for holding and displaying a poster behind a transparent panel, a main frame by which the sign is supported from the ground and on which the poster-retainer is carried, and means for demountably clipping the poster-retainer to the main frame, the main frame having upper and lower rails that fit between upper and lower rails of the poster-retainer, the poster-retainer having latch fingers that extend from upper and lower rails thereof behind the upper and lower rails of the main frame when the poster-retainer is clipped to the main frame, and springs being provided at the upper rail of the poster-retainer for co-operation with the upper rail of the main frame to hold the latch fingers of the lower rail of the poster retainer into engagement behind the lower rail of the main frame.

16. A display sign according to claim 15, wherein the upper and lower rails of the poster-retainer are formed along concealed faces thereof with longitudinal tracks, and the latch fingers that are on runners slidably engaged into the respective tracks.

17. A display sign according to claim 16, wherein the track of at least one of the upper and lower rails is formed with a relatively large opening located at a position between the ends of the track for insertion of the runners into the track.

18. A display sign according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the runners of the top rail further comprise clip fingers for clipping a poster against the transparent panel.

19. A display sign according to any of claims 15 to 18, comprising a pair of main frames hinged together to define an A-frame structure of a retail display sign, at least one of the main frames being arranged for supporting a respective poster carrier, the main frames comprising a ground-contacting foot, bar or tube and an elongate support member arising from the foot, bar or tube, the main frames being hinged together at free ends of the support members, and at least one of the support members carrying spaced catch bars for attachment thereto of upper and lower rails of a respective poster retainer.

20. A display sign comprising a support frame and a poster-retainer for holding and displaying a poster, wherein a resilient clip permits the poster-retainer to slide across the support between one position in which it can be released from the support and another position in which it is releasably attached to the support.

21. A display sign substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 or figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A display sign according to claim 1, having a main frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.