GB2253993A

GB2253993A - Display cover

Info

Publication number: GB2253993A
Application number: GB9106472A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael John Lynch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-03-27
Filing date: 1991-03-27
Publication date: 1992-09-30
Also published as: GB9106472D0

Abstract

A display cover (12) for e.g. protecting models or craft items has at least two faces formed from a single shoot of material by bending the material to form a substantially 'U' shaped or 'V' shaped body section (16), to the opposite open ends of which may be attached further shoots (18) of material to complete the cover (12). The cover is of a transparent plastics material. The single sheet of material is bent to form the body section (16) by arranging a heated wire (34) adjacent the sheet (Fig. 3), along the axis of a desired bend, and allowing the heat from the wire to soften the material locally along the axis, such that the material can be bent about the axis. <IMAGE>

Description

Display Cover The present invention relates to display covers, for instance for displaying models or other craft items.

Conventional display covers of the type which encase the object or objects on display, comprise transparent faces through which the object or objects may be viewed, but which protect the objects. These covers are commonly formed from five rectangular or square sheets, butt jointed. This produces bold lines across the cover, at each joint, which distort or obstruct the view of the covered objects. Machining the five sheets, and forming the butt joints can be a time consuming and expensive step in the manufacture of such display covers.

Another form of cover is made by vacuum forming.

This produces flow lines within the material, which distort the view of the object or objects on display.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of forming a display cover, wherein at least two faces of the cover are formed from a single sheet of material by bending the sheet of material to provide two sides inclined relative to each other.

Preferably the sheet of material is bent along two substantially parallel bend axes to form a body section with three faces. The body section may be bent to form a substantially U-shaped channel.

Preferably further sheets of material are attached to the body section to complete the cover. The said further sheets are preferably attached to the body section to close the open ends of the channel. The further sheets may be attached to the body section by means of adhesive.

Preferably the further sheets are initially formed to have a larger area than the cross-section of the channel, whereby the further sheets may be butted to the ends of the body portion and project beyond the body portion, the projections being subsequently machined off.

The machined edges of the further sheets are preferably finished after machining, for instance by polishing or flame-finishing.

The formation of the or each bend may be facilitated by heating the material. Preferably the heating effect is localised at the bend axis. The heating effect may be provided by a heated wire adjacent the axis.

The present invention also provides a display cover which, in use, substantially covers an object displayed in the apparatus, the cover member comprising a plurality of faces through which the object can be viewed, the faces being inclined relative to each other, and at least two of the faces being integrally formed by bending.

Preferably a top face of the cover is integrally formed with a face which is, in use, substantially upright. Preferably the cover comprises a body section comprising the top face of the cover member and two side faces formed integrally with the top face by bending.

The body section may be a substantially U-shaped channel.

The cover may comprise further sheets attached to the body section. Preferably the further sheets are attached to the mutually-opposing, open ends of the channel. The further sheets may be attached to the body section by means of an adhesive.

Preferably the cover member is transparent, and may be made of plastics material such as a clear acrylic.

A method according to the present invention, and a cover formed by the method, will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a display cover according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of apparatus according to the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a side view of apparatus used to form the cover of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a cover 12 and a base member 14. The cover 12 comprises a main body section 16 in the form of a substantially U-shaped channel. The body section 16 comprises a single sheet of transparent plastics material, such as PERSPEX or another clear acrylic formed to the U-shape by a method to be described.

Two similar end plates 18 are attached to the two open ends of the channel section 16, by a suitable adhesive or cement. The plates 18 are made of the same material as the main body section.

The base member 14 comprises a substantially planar board 20 in which is formed a locating groove 22. The groove 22 is formed in the upper surface of the board 20 to receive and locate the lower edges of the cover 12.

When the cover 12 is located in the groove, an object on display is completely enclosed under the cover 12.

The board 20 may be of any suitable material and decorated and shaped as desired. In this embodiment the board 20 is made of stained and varnished wood and the uppermost corners 24 are chamfered. A layer of felt 26 is attached to the bottom of the board 20 to help prevent the display apparatus 10 marking any surface upon which it is placed.

The main body section 16 of the cover 12 is formed from a single sheet of plastics material, using the apparatus 28 as shown in Fig. 3. The apparatus 28 comprises a base 30 in which there is a groove 32. A wire extends along the groove 32. The wire 34 is connected to an electrical power supply which can heat up the wire. To form a cover 12, a single sheet of plastics material is first dressed, by machinery, to an accurate rectangular shape and is then placed on the base 30, such that the wire 34 extends underneath the material along an axis about which the material is to be bent. The electrical supply is switched on and the wire 34 heats up, thereby heating up the material. The location of the wire 34 in the groove 32 results in localised heating of the material. When the material is heated sufficiently, it becomes soft and pliable and can be bent about the axis.In the present embodiment, the material is bent through substantially 900 as shown in broken lines. The localised heating of the material results in a sharp, uniform bend line. A second bend is then made, in an identical manner to form the U-shaped channel.

Once the main body section 16 has been formed, the end plates 18 are attached to the opposing, open ends of the channel of the section 16. The plates 18 are initially over-sized, such that when they are butt jointed and cemented in position on the ends of the section 16, they form lips around the periphery of the said ends. These lips are then removed, by machinery, and the edges of the plates 18 smoothed and finished, for instance by flame-finishing. Flame-finishing provides a shiny finish to acrylic material, resembling a polished finish.

In use, an object to be displayed is placed on the board member 14, within the boundary formed by the groove 22. The cover 12 is then lowered over the object and the lower edges of the cover locate within the groove 22.

The object can then be viewed through the cover 12. The bends in the cover 12 provide a pleasing finish to the cover and minimise obstruction and distortion of the view of the object, resulting in an unobtrusive but effective cover.

Various modifications may be made without varying from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The cover can be any appropriate parallepipedal shape, or for example, the shape of the cover member may have some other shape. The shape of the main body section may be other than of U-shaped cross-section. A larger number of bends could be formed within the said sheet of material.

The base member 14 may be any suitable shape, and the groove therein may be replaced by any other suitable locating means. The end plates 18 may be attached to the body section by any suitable means.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims:

1. A method of forming a display cover, wherein at least two faces of the cover are formed from a single sheet of material by bending the sheet of material to provide two sides inclined relative to each other.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the sheet of material is bent along two bend axes to form a body section with three faces.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the bend axes are substantially parallel.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, in which the body section is bent to form a substantially U-shaped channel.

5. A method according to any of claims 2 to 4, in which further sheets of material are attached to the body section to complete the cover.

6. A method according to claim 5, in which the said further sheets are attached to the body section to close the open ends of the channel.

7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which the further sheets are attached to the body section by means of adhesive.

8. A method according to any of claims 5 to 7, in which the further sheets are initially formed to have a larger area than the cross-section of the channel, whereby the further sheets may be butted to the ends of the body portion and project beyond the body portion, the projections being subsequently machined off.

9. A method according to claim 8, in which the machined edges of the further sheets are finished after machining, for instance by polishing or flame-finishing.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the formation of the or each bend is facilitated by heating the material.

11. A method according to claim 10, in which the heating effect is localised at the bend axis.

12. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11, in which the heating effect is provided by a heated wire adjacent the axis.

13. A display cover which, in use, substantially covers an object displayed under the cover, the cover comprising a plurality of faces through which the object can be viewed, the faces being inclined relative to each other, and at least two of the faces being integrally formed by bending.

14. A display cover according to claim 13, in which a top face of the cover is integrally formed with a face which is, in use, substantially upright.

15. A display cover according to claim 14, in which the cover comprises a body section comprising the top face of the cover and two side faces formed integrally with the top face by bending.

16. A display cover according to claim 15, in which the body section is a substantially U-shaped channel.

17. A display cover according to claim 15 or claim 16, in which the cover comprises further sheets attached to the body section.

18. A display cover according to claim 17, in which the further sheets are attached to the mutually-opposing, open ends of the channel.

19. A display cover according to claim 17 or claim 18, in which the further sheets are attached to the body section by means of an adhesive.

20. A display cover according to any of claims 13 to 19, in which the cover is transparent.

21. A display cover according to any preceding claim, in which the cover is made of plastics material such as a clear acrylic.

22. A method of forming a display cover substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. A display cover substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.