GB2318443A

GB2318443A - A display device

Info

Publication number: GB2318443A
Application number: GB9621716A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard John Gray
Original assignee: Keymite Ltd
Current assignee: Keymite Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-18
Filing date: 1996-10-18
Publication date: 1998-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-18
Also published as: GB2318443B; GB9621716D0

Abstract

A display device comprising a holder (13 Figure 3) having at least one display window (14) with a respective elongate flexible strip 26 bearing characters for display in the window. The strip 26 has longitudinal edges 31,32 that undulate transversely of the strip and form regular repeat units of strip, and the window (14) has sides (17) shaped to accomodate the undulating edges 31,32 when a repeat unit of the strip is correctly positioned in the window. The strip 26 may be provided with straight edge portions 34 between the undulations, the edge portions coinciding with the upper and lower edges of the display window.

Description

A Display Device Field This invention relates to a display device for the display of information.

Backqround Information devices which incorporate changeable characters are known. Such devices frequently include a plurality of windows through which a flexible strip bearing characters passes, so that only the character aligned with the window is visible. Such a device is shown in British Patent 963447.

In such devices the strip may be stored by rolling up the ends of the strip so that as the strip is moved through the window one end unrolls and the other end rolls up. A problem with this type of device that the natural curl in the strip tends to move the displayed character especially if the device is knocked or jolted. In order to prevent this problem the device shown in GB 2236 207 is equipped with a strip having holes therein that are engageable with movable pins in order to lock the strip in position. Such devices are complicated and require some means of releasing the strip from the pins before the characters can be changed.

The present invention provides a simple display device that can hold the strip in position.

Statements of Invention According to the present invention there is provided a display device comprising a holder having at least one display window therein, and an elongate flexible strip which bears characters thereon for selective display in the window, the strip having longitudinal edges that undulate transversely of the strip and form regular repeat units of strip, and the window has sides shaped to accomodate the edges of the strip when a repeat unit is correctly positioned in the window.

Preferably the two undulating edges are aligned and may form repeat units that are waisted.

Preferably the or each window has a surround and a support platform located in the window to support the strip passing through the window, the support and surround being formed integrally.

The holder including the platform is moulded as a single unit from a suitable plastics material e.g polystyrene or acrylic.

Also according to the invention there is provided a flexible strip for a display device having longitudinal edges that undulate transversely of the strip to form regular repeat units of strip.

Description of Drawinqs The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a strip as used in the device according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic section through a display means incorporating a device according to the invention, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a holder used in Fig.l, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the holder in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a view from below the holder in Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a section on the line A-A in Fig 5.

Detailed Description of the Invention With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 there is shown a display means 10 formed from a rear box-like container 11 having an open end over which a display device 12 is mounted. The container 11 is of sufficient length to accomodate the respective display device which can vary in length according to the required number of display windows.

The display device 12 comprises a rectangular planar holder 13 with a plurality of display windows 14 formed in a line therein. In this example there are five windows but there could be any number as required upwards from one window. Each window has a straight top 15 and bottom 16 which are joined by convex arcuate sides 17 so that the window aperture is waisted having a narrower mid length portion. In the centre of each window is a convex curved platform 18 which lies in substantially the same plane as the holder 13 with its peak 30 in the plane of the upper surface 20 of the holder. Each platform 18 is spaced from the top 15 and bottom 16 of its respective window by a linear gap 19 or 21 respectively.

The platforms 18 are interconnected by a strengthening rib 22 that extends across the full length the back face 23 of the holder 13. Cross-ribs 24 are formed at each end of the holder to help locate the holder in the mouth of the container 11 and transverse strengthening ribs 25 are spaced along the longitudinal rib 23 between windows 14.

An elongate flexible strip 26 bearing characters thereon, such as numbers or letters, is housed in the container 11. The strip is preferably made from a plastic film such as cellulose acetate or polyester film or could be formed from rolled reiforced paper. End portions of the strip 26 are formed into storage rolls 27,28, with a mid portion of the strip extending between the two rolls 27,28. The strip 26 passes from the upper roll 27 through the gap 19, across the convex surface of the platform 18, through the gap 21 and into the bottom roll 28.

The strip 26 has transversely undulating edges 31,32 which comprise arcuate troughs 33 spaced apart by linear edge portions 34 to form a series of linked repeat units, illustrated by A & B. The straight edge portions 34 and arcuate portions 33 on each edge 31, 32 are aligned to form repeat units A & B having wider top and bottom portions and a waisted middle. The width W between the straight edge portions 34 is just less than the length of the gaps 19 & 21 and the length L of the repeat units is such that the straight edges 34 align with the gaps 19 & 21 when the repeat units are correctly located in the windows 14. The arcuate concave troughs 33 on the edges 31, 32 match the convex curved sides 17 of the windows 14 to locate a repeat unit in a window.

The curved nature of the window sides 17 combined with the convex shape of the platform 18 on which the film is supported tends to locate the repeat unit centrally within a window 14.

To move the strip 26 up or down a respective window 14 the strip is touched and wiped up or down as required unreeling from one roll 27,28 and feeding into the other roll 28,27.

The strip is sufficiently resilient and flexible to rise over the narrow portion of the window as it moves through the window and can relocate when a desired character on a repeat unit is correctly located for display in said window.

This invention provides a display device having no moving parts other than the film and yet can still positively locate the repeat units with the characters thereon for display. The shape of the strip also allows the characters to be correctly and accurately located on the strip relative to each other.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a holder having at least one display window therein, and an elongate flexible strip which bears characters thereon for selective display in the window, the strip having longitudinal edges that undulate transversely of the strip and form regular repeat units of strip, and the window has sides shaped to accomodate the edges of the strip when a repeat unit is correctly positioned in the window.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two undulating edges are aligned in opposite to each other.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each longitudinal edge is in the form of a series of spaced apart arcuate troughs so that each repeat unit is waisted.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the arcuate troughs along each edge are linked by straight edge portions that coincide with the upper and lower edges of the display window.

5. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the or each window has a surround and a support platform located in the window to support the strip passing through the window, the support and surround being formed integrally.

6. A display device as claimed in Claim 5 with a plurality of windows located side by side and all the support platforms are linked by a reinforcing rig.

7. A display device as Claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the support platform and display window lie in substantially the same plane.

8. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the support platforms and window are moulded in plastics material as a single unit.

9. A flexible strip for a display device having longitudinal edges that undulate transversely of the strip to form regular repeat units of strip.

10. A display device which is substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.