GB2290464A - Display board - Google Patents

Abstract

A display board comprises a wall-mountable supporting sheet (10) having attached to one face thereof a number of strips (11) of a transparent plastics material open along one edge so as to enable the insertion and replacement of a number of photographs to be displayed on the board in a plurality of separate pockets (14). Some of the pockets (14a) may be upright to accommodate "end-on" photographs and one or more larger pockets (16) will accommodate enlarged photographic prints. Several such boards may be attached together to form a larger display. <IMAGE>

Description

A DISPLAY BOARD THIS INVENTION relates to a display board which may be mounted, for example, on a wall or notice board and adapted to receive a number of items such as photographs arranged side-by-side on the board for display.

Whilst it is known to provide a display board in the form of a rigid picture frame and mask into which a number of photographs may be placed for permanent or semi-permanent display, there is a requirement for photographs to be displayed on a temporary basis and easily replaceable for frequent "up-dating". Many people wish to display photographs depicting, for example, a recent event such as a holiday or anniversary, and the present invention is intended to provide such a facility for use, for example, in the home or office.

According to the present invention there is provided a display board comprising a wall-mountable supporting sheet of such dimensions as to accommodate, side-by-side, a plurality of items such as photographs, and means on or associated with the supporting sheet to retain the items each in superimposed relationship with the sheet for display thereon, the retaining means being so formed as to enable ready replacement of the displayed items individually or collectively.

Preferably, the retaining means is formed to permit removal or replacement of one or more displayed items without simultaneously releasing others to be retained on display.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying isometric drawing which illustrates one form of display board for photographs, in accordance with the invention.

The device comprises a supporting sheet 10 preferably of a rigid or semi-rigid plastics material having means such as apertures 11 whereby the board may be hung on a wall or other vertical surface such as a notice board.

Thermally welded or otherwise attached to one face of the board 10 are a plurality of strips 11 of a transparent plastics material which is attached to the board 10 along vertical lines 12 and horizontal lines 13 in such a way as to provide a number of rows of individual pockets 14 at least one side of each of which is unattached to the board 10 as indicated at 15 to enable the insertion of a photograph which is thus visible through the transparent material and thus displayed.

Conveniently, one row 14a of pockets is arranged with its major axis vertical to accommodate "end-on" photographs. In this case, the open edge of each pocket may be along the top or down one side. Also, if required, one larger pocket such as shown at 16 may be provided for an enlarged photographic print.

It will be appreciated that a display board provided in this form will enable photographs to be replaced and "up-dated" at will so that the user may display favourite or most recent photographs.

Most photographic prints are produced to one or more standard sizes and so the dimensions of the pockets can be established accordingly.

In an alternative form the transparent front sheet which serves to retain and protect the photographs can be provided in a different form where, for example, a pocket may contain more than one photograph and can include flaps of the transparent material attached along one edge only, which may be peeled back to enable the introduction or replacement of a photograph and then laid over to protect same. Alternatively, the photographs may be retained by corner slots arranged on the backing board so that retention is only at the corners of the photographs, but in this case the major part of the front face of each photograph remains unprotected.

If required, the backing board may be stiffened by the provision of ribs or other members extending over a part of the back of the board, and the means of attachment of the board to a vertical surface may be other than as illustrated. Furthermore, the backing board may include, for example, a greetings message so that such a board may be presented as a gift ready-mounted with a number of photographs taken at a particular event or celebration.

If required, a number of such boards may be connected together along one edge such as by a so-called "comb binder" whereby the boards may be displayed in rotation rather like a calendar with turn-over sheets. Indeed, a calendar or other information may be attached to or displayed upon the board in addition to the display of photographs thereon, and an area of the board may be made available for the writing of memoranda, or for advertising material.

The backing board may be opaque material or of a transparent material similar to the pockets.

Typically, a board as illustrated will be approximately 500mm square.

Claims (12)

1. A display board comprising a wall-mountable supporting sheet of such dimensions as to accommodate, side-by-side, a plurality of items such as photographs, and means on or associated with the supporting sheet to retain the items each in superimposed relationship with the sheet for display thereon, the retaining means being so formed as to enable ready replacement of the displayed items individually or collectively.

2. A display board according to Claim 1, wherein the retaining means is formed to permit removal or replacement of one or more displayed items without simultaneously releasing others to be retained on display.

3. A display board according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the a supporting sheet is of a rigid or semi-rigid material having means whereby the board may be hung on a wall or other vertical surface such as a notice board.

4. A display board according to any preceding claim, wherein said retaining means comprises one or more sheets of a transparent material welded or otherwise attached to one face of the board along a plurality of vertical and horizontal lines thus to provide a number of rows of individual pockets at least one side of each of which is unattached to the board to enable the insertion of a photograph which is thus visible through the transparent material.

5. A display board according to Claim 4, wherein the pockets are generally rectangular in shape at least one of which is arranged on the board such that its major axis is vertical.

6. A display board according to Claim 4, wherein the pockets are of different sizes to accommodate different sized items.

7. A display board according to Claim 4, wherein at least one of the pockets includes a flap of transparent material which may be peeled back from the board to enable the introduction or replacement of a photograph and then laid over to protect same.

8. A display board according to Claim 1, wherein the retaining means are provided in the form of corner'slots arranged on the board so that retention of the items displayed is at the corners thereof only.

9. A display board according to Claim 1, wherein the supporting sheet includes one or more stiffening members.

10. A display board according to Claim 1, wherein the supporting sheet has a part adapted to be unoccupied by displayed items, and bearing information or other indicia such as a greetings message.

11. A display board according to Claim 1, comprising a plurality of supporting sheets connected together such that they may be displayed selectively rather like a calendar with turn-over sheets.

12. A display board substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.