GB2313227A

GB2313227A - Display device

Info

Publication number: GB2313227A
Application number: GB9709719A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Edward Rush
Original assignee: FLEXIBLE LAMPS Ltd
Current assignee: FLEXIBLE LAMPS Ltd
Priority date: 1996-05-13
Filing date: 1997-05-13
Publication date: 1997-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-13
Also published as: GB2313227B; GB9709719D0; GB9609925D0

Abstract

Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate comprising a plate support member 4 and a holding member 8,8', wherein said holding member is resiliently movable between a holding position in which the holding member is capable of holding the registration plate in supported relation to the plate support member, and a release position in which the registration plate is removable from the plate support member. The member 4 also includes a pair of channel sections 10,10' into which the base portion of the registration plate (14, Figure 3) can be received. The holding member is provided with a bearing surface (20), to which pressure may be applied to cause the holding member to flex, to allow insertion or withdrawal of the registration plate.

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE The invention relates to a method and device for displaying a plate, such as a vehicle registration or licence plate, on a vehicle.

The display of registration plates on both private and commercial vehicles is a legal requirement in many countries throughout the world. Such plates are usually mounted directly or indirectly at either or both of the front and rear ends of the vehicle.

Perhaps the most common means of mounting registration plates on vehicles is by providing two or more holes on each plate through which screws or other such fixing means are passed to secure the plate to the vehicle. The registration plate may be secured directly to the bodywork of the vehicle, or may altematively be secured to a supporting member which in turn is attached to the vehicle.

As will be appreciated, whether the registration plate is directly or indirectly affixed to the vehicle, changing and securing of the plate by means of screws or the like suffers from a number of disadvantages. For example, it requires a screwdriver or similar tool to be kept handy; it relies upon a ready supply of replacement screws in the event that the existing screws cannot be re-used or are misplaced; there is a risk of damaging the registration plate through over-tightening of the screws; and the internal thread with which the screw engages can become worn and therefore ineffective.

Moreover, vehicles are often subjected to extreme and adverse weather conditions and have to endure the corrosive influence of de-icing chemicals which are used across the road network during the winter months. Even over a relatively short period of time, such exposure can result in corrosion and the ultimate seizing up of the fixing means.

While the above method of fixing does not pose any great problems in relation to private or domestic vehicles where the same registration plates often remain affixed to the vehicle throughout its life, it is inconvenient and unsuitable for use in commercial situations where registration plates require frequent changing.

In relation to road transportation, it is rare for an articulated vehicle trailer to be permanently attached to any one truck. Rather economics dictate that a trailer is allocated to a truck only when it is desired to transport that trailer to a particular destination. In other words, there is regular interchanging of trailers on any single truck. Since it is essential for the registration plate on a trailer to match that of its associated truck, each time a trailer is connected to a different truck it is necessary to change the registration plate on the trailer. It will be appreciated that the aforementioned method of affixing a registration plate is not suited to frequent changing.

In an attempt to overcome at least some of the problems outlined above, various alternative means of displaying registration plates have been proposed. Most of these alternative means involve the use of a plate-shaped support member which can be secured to the vehicle together with co-operating means for releasably fastening the registration plate on the support member.

For example, the fastening means may be in the form of a frame member releasably attached to the support member and which can be moved from a first position in which the support member is unimpeded by the frame member to allow the registration plate to be placed on the support member to a second locking position in which the frame member overlies the perimeter of the plate to prevent removal of the same.

Another example takes the form of a housing which accommodates the registration plate in combination with a couple of retaining members which are snap-fitted onto the housing to retain the plate in position.

While the altemative means described do not suffer from the same inconvenience of having to remove and then replace screws in order to change registration plates, they do require careful manufacture in order to ensure that the cooperating parts are able to endure the extreme vibrations which occur when the vehicle is in motion so as to retain the plate in position. This requirement must be balanced with the need for easy release of the co-operating parts to allow changing of the registration plate. As will be appreciated, this is a difficult balance to achieve.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for displaying a vehicle registration plate or the like which allows for easy changing of the plate and it is a further object of the invention to provide a device for displaying such a plate which is not only easy to manufacture but is also capable of securely retaining the plate.

In its broadest aspect, the invention comprises a method of displaying a vehicle registration plate wherein the plate is held in its display position using resilient holding means.

Expressed in another way, the invention comprises a method of displaying a vehicle registration plate using resilient holding means wherein the resilience of the holding means is biassed to hold the plate in its display position.

By such a method, it is possible to change the registration plate being displayed simply by applying sufficient pressure on the resilient holding means to overcome the resilient bias which otherwise acts to hold the plate in its display position. In this way it is easy to remove a plate being displayed and replace it with another.

Subsequent release of the pressure on the holding means results in the resilience once more acting to hold the replacement plate in the display position.

Although not specifically precluded, provision of additional holding means over and above the resilient holding means becomes unnecessary and detracts from the convenience and simplicity of relying purely upon the resilience of the holding means to retain the plate in its display position.

It is possible for the registration plate to be held using the resilient holding means against a plate support member being either an integral part of a vehicle, or a separate plate member which in turn can be secured to a vehicle. The latter arrangement allows for the resilient holding means to be carried on the plate support member thereby together providing an effective and convenient display device.

From another aspect therefore, the invention resides in a device for displaying a vehicle registration plate, the device comprising a plate support member having a display face and one or more holding members for holding a plate against the display face, wherein at least one of said one or more holding members comprises resilient means which in use is resiliently biassed towards the display face of the plate support member.

In use, in its simplest form, the registration plate is held directly against the display face of the plate support member. However, in some circumstances it may be necessary or desirable to interpose one or more elements between the registration plate and the display face. In particular, it will be appreciated that the additional thickness of a further layer interposed between plate and display face increases the gripping action of the resilient holding members. So, while the resilient means is effective in holding the plate in its desired display position, provision of a "cushioning" layer between the plate and the support member could, for example, help to absorb any vibration and eliminate or reduce any rattling which might otherwise occur.

Preferably, the or each resilient holding means is carried on the plate support member and, for ultimate convenience of use, is more preferably retained by the plate support member. In this way, there is no need to detach the resilient holding means from the plate support member in order to remove or replace a registration plate.

While the resilient holding means may be retained on or by the plate support member by conventional fixing means, such as by adhesion or by use of screws or the like, advantageously, the holding means and the plate support member are provided with complementary engaging means.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention, the resilient properties of the holding member are utilised to secure the holding member in place. For example, the holding member may comprise an element made of resilient material and having an arm projecting therefrom and at the distal end of which is provided a section of expanded diameter. The plate support member on the other hand may be provided with an aperture having a diameter less than the diameter of the expanded section of the holding member and extending between opposite faces of the support member. Compression of the expanded diameter section of the resilient element permits the section to pass from a first face of the support member through the aperture to emerge at the opposite face whereupon the expanded section is no longer constricted by the diameter of the aperture and therefore expands back to its natural diameter effectively locking the resilient member on the plate support member.

In order to facilitate insertion of the expanded section through the aperture, the expanded diameter section is preferably tapered such that it narrows towards its distal end. Further, in order to inhibit or substantially prevent the withdrawal of the resilient holding means from the plate support member following insertion, it is preferred for the joint between the elongate arm and the expanded diameter section to consist of a shoulder portion. Thus, when pressure is exerted against the natural bias of the resilient holding means, as would happen for example during removal or replacement of a registration plate on the device, the shoulder portion merely bears against the opposite face of the support plate. In other words, compression of the expanded diameter section is substantially prevented and hence withdrawal of the holding means from the plate support member cannot easily take place. Thus, once the expanded diameter section has been inserted through the aperture, it effectively locks the holding means in position on the plate support member.

Of course, various modifications of the above preferred means for securing the holding means to the plate support means are also envisaged. One such modification involves the provision of a recess on the opposite face of the plate support member, such a recess being adapted to accommodate the expanded diameter portion of the holding means. In this way, the risk of tearing or otherwise damaging the distal end of the holding means can be avoided thereby prolonging the life of the holding means.

On the other hand, even if the resilient holding means does become damaged or worn, it is a simple matter to replace the holding means with no tools or other special equipment being required.

For convenience in use and ease of construction, it is further preferred for the or each resilient holding means to project from the display face of the plate support member. So, for example, in the preferred arrangement described above, each holding means would be associated with an aperture extending between the display face of the plate support member and its rear face in use.

Since one of the main requirements of any such display device is to provide an unobstructed view of the registration plate, it is evident that the holding means should not interfere with or obscure the information to be displayed. Hence the holding means will generally be located so as to hold the plate at or adjacent to the plate's outer perimeter.

Any arrangement of holding means consistent with the requirement of displaying and securing a registration plate may be envisaged. For example, the holding means may be arranged to secure the registration plate against the display face of the support member along each of its top, bottom and side edges. Alternatively, it may be sufficient to position the or each holding means, for example, such that they secure the top and bottom edges only of the plate with the resilience provided by at least one of the holding means substantially preventing any tendency for the plate to move from side to side under the vibrations caused by the movement of the vehicle.

However, it will be understood that the vibrations generated on a heavy vehicle can be considerable, therefore in most situations it is desirable to provide the display device with some means for preventing sideways movement of the registration plate. In the absence of any holding means acting along the side edges of the registration plate, provision of lateral restraining means is preferred.

Such lateral restraining means may conveniently be provided by way of projections extending from the display face of the plate support member. Such projections may be in the form of discrete raised elements or may comprise elongate walls extending along substantially the entire length of the side edges.

In order to provide benefits in terms of strength and rigidity of the plate support member, the lateral restraining means preferably takes the form of a continuous elongate wall extending substantially along at least three side edges of the member.

Where more than one holding means is provided, it is not essential for all the holding means to be in the form of resilient means. For example, the plate support member may be provided on its display face with one or more channel members, the or each channel member being capable of receiving one or more perimeter portions of the registration plate. By such an arrangement, the channel member or members act in conjunction with resilient holding means to hold the registration plate in place against the display face. Moreover, by virtue of the resilient holding means, easy changing of the plate remains possible.

When the plate support member is provided with lateral restraining means in the form of one or more elongate walls, the wall may conveniently form the base of any such channel member.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one channel member is provided on the plate support member to receive and support the bottom edge in use of the registration plate and resilient holding means is provided so as to hold the top edge in use of the registration plate.

The preferred shape of the or each resilient holding means is chosen in accordance with the requirement for resilient biassing towards the display face of the support member and to take into account the desirability of being easy to manipulate to allow easy changing of the registration plate. In order to achieve these objectives, the or each resilient means should preferably comprise an outwardly directed portion projecting away from the display face of the plate support member and a substantially rearwardly directed extension piece depending from the outwardly directed portion. In its "natural" configuration, the rearwardly directed extension piece thereby provides the required resilient bias towards the display face.

In use, the registration plate is inserted between the rearwardly directed extension piece and the display face and the resilient bias of the extension piece acts to maintain the plate in position against the support plate.

Moreover, by locating the rearwardly directed extension piece away from the extremity of the outwardly directed portion, there is created a bearing surface against which pressure can be easily applied to reduce the force of the resilient biassing means and facilitate changing of the plate.

The resilient holding means may be made from any suitable resilient material, expanded rubber being particularly preferred. While the resilient holding means may be formed from a combination of materials, for ease of manufacture a uniform composition is preferred.

The invention will now be illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display device in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a section along line A-A' of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 corresponds to Fig. 2 but shows a registration plate held on the device; and Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of the resilient holding member of the device.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a display device 2 for a vehicle registration plate includes a plate support member 4 having a display face 6 against which a vehicle registration plate may be placed. A pair of resilient holding elements 8, 8' are located at, and project from, the display face 6 towards the top edge in use of the member 4.

Along the bottom edge in use of the member 4 a pair of channel sections 10, 10' are present and into which the base portion of a registration plate (not shown) can be received.

Lateral restraining means are present in the form of a continuous elongate wall 12 which extends around the perimeter of the display face 6 along three sides. The base of channel sections 10, 10' is formed by wall 12.

Fig's 2 and 3 respectively show a section along line A-A' without and with a registration plate 14 inserted. The holding member 8' comprises an outwardly directed portion 16 and rearwardly directed extension piece 18 which together provide a bearing surface 20.

As may be more clearly seen from Fig. 4, the holding member 8' is also provided with an arm 22 and an expanded diameter section 24 extending therefrom.

Expanded diameter section 24 is tapered at 26 and forms a shoulder 28 at the point where it joins the arm 22.

The plate support member 4 has an aperture extending between the display face 6 and the rear face 6' and terminating in an enlarged recess 30 for accommodating expanded diameter section 24 of the holding member 8'.

It can be seen that the application of upward pressure against bearing surface 20 causes the holding member 8' to flex so that the normally rearwardly directed extension piece pivots away from the display face 6 of the plate support member 4 to allow insertion or withdrawal of registration plate 14.

While particular embodiments have been described, it should be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, while the invention has been described in relation to the display of vehicle registration or licence plates, it should be understood that other types of information may be displayed using the present device. For example, the device may be used to carry information relating to the type of product being transported, such as chemical information and/or an indication of any associated hazardous properties. Furthermore, the display device is not restricted to use on road vehicles; it may equally be used to convey information the rail network.

Claims

1. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate comprising a plate support member and a holding member, wherein said holding member is resiliently movable between a holding position in which the holding member is capable of holding the registration plate in supported relation to the plate support member, and a release position in which the registration plate is removable from the plate support member.

2. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 1, wherein the plate support member is attachable to a vehicle.

3. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 1, wherein the plate support member is an integral part of a vehicle.

4. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the holding member in use resiliently urges the registration plate towards the plate support member.

5. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 4, wherein the plate support member has a support face for supporting the registration plate and wherein the holding member in use resiliently urges the registration plate towards the support face.

6. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the holding member in use resiliently urges the registration plate towards a retaining formation opposed to the holding member.

7. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the plate support member includes a lateral retaining formation.

8. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 7, being adapted to display a generally rectangular registration plate and having retaining formations positioned to co-operate with three side edges of the registration plate.

9. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any of claims 6, 7 or 8, wherein the or each retaining formation has a lip adapted to engage with an edge portion of the registration plate.

10. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the holding member comprises a first portion projecting from the plate support member and a second portion depending from the first portion and arranged to engage an edge portion of the registration plate when the holding member is in the holding position.

11. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 10, the arrangement being such that the application of pressure to the first portion causes the second portion to disengage from the edge portion of the registration plate.

12. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the holding member is carried by the plate support member.

13. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 12, wherein the holding member and the plate support member are provided with complementary engaging formations whereby the holding member is attached to the plate support member.

14. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 13, wherein the holding member is resiliently deformable so as to be attached to the plate support member.

15. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 14, wherein the complementary engaging formations comprise an elongate arm projecting from the holding member and having a section of expanded diameter at the distal end of said arm, and an aperture extending through the plate support member, which aperture has a diameter less than the diameter of the expanded section of the holding member.

16. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 15, wherein the expanded diameter section is tapered such that it narrows towards its distal end.

17. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the elongate arm and the expanded diameter section join to provide a shoulder portion which is adapted to bear against the support plate member so as to prevent withdrawal of the holding member from the plate support member.

18. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to claim 15, 16 or claim 17, wherein the plate support member includes a recess adapted to accommodate the expanded diameter section of the holding member.

19. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more elements are interposed between the registration plate and the plate support member.

20. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the plate support member is moulded from plastics material.

21. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the holding member is of rubber.

22. A method of displaying a vehicle registration plate wherein the plate is held in a display position using resiliently movable holding means.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the holding means is urged to hold the plate in the display position.

24. A method according to claim 23, and including changing the registration plate being displayed comprising moving the holding means against resilient bias from a holding position to a release position, removing the plate being displayed, replacing it with a second plate and releasing the holding means to allow resilient movement into the holding position.

25. Means for displaying a vehicle registration plate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

26. A method of displaying a vehicle registration plate substantially as hereinbefore described.