GB2280298A

GB2280298A - Display device for mounting on a beverage dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2280298A
Application number: GB9416587A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter William Allen
Original assignee: ALLEN HUGHES Ltd
Current assignee: ALLEN HUGHES Ltd
Priority date: 1993-08-21
Filing date: 1994-08-17
Publication date: 1995-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-17
Also published as: GB9416587D0; GB2280298B

Abstract

A display device comprises an adaptor device in the form of a clamp (13, 14) for mounting on a beer pump handle. An elliptical panel (10) can be attached to the clamp in one of two alternative orientations and a display plaque (11) is removably attachable, preferably by magnetic attraction, to the panel (10). Other forms of adaptor for font pillars are also disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE FOR MOUNTING ON A BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS This invention relates to a display device for mounting on a beverage dispensing apparatus.

Conventional display devices for this purpose make use of a panel on which an advertisement is depicted, and a clamp on the panel for clamping the panel to a beer pump handle. Where the beer is to be dispensed from a particular pump is changed, the display device must be removed from the pump handle and a different one mounted thereon.

Furthermore, many beverage dispensing systems employ so called pillar fonts which may have an illuminated display window in which a translucent advertising sign can be fixed. Again, it is difficult to use such a pillar font for a beer different from that for which it was originally intended.

It is an object of the invention to provide a display device in which the advertisement can be changed easily.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a display device comprising the combination of an adaptor device for attachment to a part of a beverage dispensing apparatus, a panel having means for attaching it to said adaptor device and a separate advertising plaque removably mounted I the panel.

Preferably, the plaque is formed from a flexible magnetised material and the panel is formed of a material to which the plaque is magnetically attracted.

The adaptor device may be attached to the panel in such a way that the orientation of the panel relative to the dispensing apparatus can be changed without removing the adaptor device from the dispensing apparatus.

A preferred embodiment of the invention makes use of a panel of oval, elliptical or other non-circular shape having major and minor axes, the panel having a locating portion on its rear which co-acts with a complementary locating portion on the adaptor device for positively locating the panel on the adaptor device in a selected one of at least two alternative relative orientations.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of one example of a display device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a panel forming part of the device; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an adaptor device for incorporation in another embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a front elevation of a multiple adaptor device; Figure 5 is a section on line A-A in Figure 4; and Figure 6 is an enlarged end view of the adaptor of Figure 3.

In the example of the display device shown in the drawings there is provided a moulded panel 10 formed of a synthetic resin material incorporating either an insert of a magnetic material or distributed magnetic material so that it is attracted towards a co-acting plaque 11 formed of magnetised flexible synthetic material. The panel 10 is of elliptical shape with a raised rim 10a within which the plaque 11 is received in use.

A central hole 12 in the panel 11 is provided to receive a screw 9 by means of which the panel can be attached to one part 13 of an adaptor in the form of a clamp consisting of two basically C-shaped members 13 and 14. The two members 13 and 14 are attached together by two screws 15. The member 13 of the clamp is formed with a rib 1 3a which fits into one of two crossing grooves 10h, 10c in the back of the panel 10.

In use, the clamp 13, 14 is fitted on to a beer pump handle and the panel is attached to it in either portrait or landscape orientation, the rib 13a being disposed in one of the two grooves 10b and 10 to locate the panel properly. The orientation of the panel can be changed by loosening the screw 9 sufficiently to allow disengagement of the rib 1 3a from the groove it is currently in, turning the panel and retightening the screw.

The plaque 11 is one of a plurality of different plaques with different designs (not shown) depicted upon them.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the panel 10 is square. Instead of two crossing grooves at 900 to one another as shown in Figure 2, the panel has four such grooves at 45" intervals. The panel can be mounted in any of eight different positions on the clamp.

Instead of using a screw to fasten the panel to the clamp, a bayonet type connector or a spring-loaded push to fasten push to release arrangement may be employed.

The adaptor shown in Figure 3 comprises a front portion 113 which is of generally flat rectangular shape with rounded corners intended to fit over the display window of a beer pillar font. Such window is normally used to hold a transparent display sign which has a lamp behind it, but the display sign and lamp are removed before the adaptor device is fitted.

On the back of the front portion 113, there is a mounting clip 111 which is of U-shaped form with triangular section portions 112 on the ends of its two limbs. These are designed to co-act with the interior of the display window of the pillar font to retain the front portion 113 in place.

The front face of the front portion 113 is provided with a rib 11 3a which is of the same shape and dimensions as the rib 13a of the clip 13 shown in Figure 1. A screw-threaded insert 114 is provided at the centre of the front portion 113 to receive the screw 9.

In use, an adaptor device as shown in Figure 3 is fitted into the display window of a plIarfont and a panel exactly as shown lil n Fgure 1 is attached to it using the screw 9. The rib 113a locates the panel in either a vertical or a horizontal orientation.

Adaptor devices of different configurations can be provided to fit various different display windows.

In the example shown in Figures 4 to 6, the adaptor device is in the form of an elongated bar having a concave back face 20a so that it can be fitted against a horizontal tubular part 21 of a different type of pillar font.

The bar 20 is fixed to the part 21 by means of screws 22 through slots in the bar. On the front face of the bar there are three ribs 23 extending longitudinally of the bar at longitudinally spaced positions thereon. A screw-threaded insert 24 is associated with each rib.

Three of the panels referred to with removable plaques thereon can be secured to the adaptor device 20, each being selectively positionable in either of two alternative orientations.

Claims

l. A display device comprising the combination of an adaptor device for attachment to a part of a beverage dispensing apparatus, a panel having means for attaching it to said adaptor device and a separate advertising plaque removably mounted on the panel.
2. A display device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the plaque is formed from a flexible magnetised material and the panel is formed from a material to which the plaque is magnetically attracted.
3. A display device as claimed in Claim 2, in which the panel has a raised rim around its periphery within which the plaque is received.
4. A display device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the adaptor device and the panel are attached together in such a manner that the orientation of the panel relative to the dispensing apparatus can be changed without removing the adaptor device from the dispensing apparatus.
5. A display device as claimed in Claim 4, in which the adaptor device is formed with a rib and the panel is formed with a plurality of mutually inclined grooves to receive the rib.
6. A display device as claimed in Claim 5, in which the panel is attached to the adaptor device by a single fixing element located at the intersection of said grooves.
7. A display device as claimed in Claim 6, in which the fixing device is a screw, the head of which is concealed by the plaque.
8. A display device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the adaptor device is a clamp adapted to be attached to the handle of a beer pump.
9. A display device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, in which the adaptor device has a mounting clip for insertion into a display window of a pillar font.
10. A display device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, in which the adaptor device is in the form of an elongated bar for fixing to a horizontal tubular part of a pillar font.
11. A display device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the adaptor device has provision for the independent mounting of a plurality of the panels thereon.
12. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.