GB2355838A

GB2355838A - Sign with remotely operated blind.

Info

Publication number: GB2355838A
Application number: GB9921653A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Roelof Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-09-15
Filing date: 1999-09-15
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Also published as: GB9921653D0

Abstract

A sign comprises a sign face 3 displaying a message, a blind 7 which can be operated to cover or uncover the sign face, drive means 9-15 to operate the blind and remote control means 17, 19 to operate the drive means. By this arrangement the information on the sign can be covered when it is not relevant. The blind preferably takes the form of a roller blind and the sign may be a road sign.

Description

2355838 Title: Remotely Operated Sign The present invention relates to a

sign with a blind which can be operated remotely.

It is often desirable to provide a road sign and then cover it up when its message need no longer be displayed. For example when a roadway with two lanes is having one of its lanes repaired by work men during the day, a road sign is often displayed warning motorists that only one lane is open. During the evening when work is no longer being carried out, it may be desirable to cover the sign overnight rather than take down the sign, so that the cover can be removed the next day when work commences. If the sign is located say in the middle of a busy road, e.g. a motorway, it can be dangerous for a person to put the cover on the sign.

The invention seeks to provide a solution to this difficulty.

According to the present invention there is provided a sign comprising: a) a sign having a sign face for displaying a message, b) a blind on the sign which can be operated to cover or uncover the sign face, c) drive means to operate the blind, and d) remote control means to operate the drive means.

Preferably the blind is a roller blind.

9 2 In one embodiment the roller blind has a leading edge which is pulled away from the blind roller. The leading edge may be connected to at least one rotating belt on one or either side of the roller blind forming part of said drive means. The drive means may include an electric motor to drive the belts.

The sign may include a pair of frame members either side of the sign face. The ftarne members may support the blind and said belts.

Preferably the remote control means includes a receiver, such as a radio receiver, controlled by a remote transmitter.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a perspective view of one embodiment.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a road sign I having a back plate 2 providing a sign face 3) for displaying a message such as a "lane open" arrow 3A and a "lane closed T" 3 B. Either side of the sign face 3 connected to the back plate 2 are a pair of frame members 4,5 with raised shoulders 4A,5A respectively at the bottom of each frame member. The frame members 4,5 support a roller blind pivoted thereto having a roller 6 and blind material 7 wound thereon.

9 3 The roller blind has a leading edge bar 8 which is pulled away from the blind roller to cover the sign. The leading edge bar ends 8A,8B project beyond the material 7 so that when the blind is fully withdrawn off the roller, the ends 8A,8B abut against shoulders 4A,5A.

A pair of toothed belts 9, 10 are each supported for rotation respectively in a pair of toothed pulley wheels 9A,9B and 1 OA, I OB respectively mounted on the frame members either side of the roller blind. Pulley wheels 9B, I OB are mounted on a common shaft 11. Shaft I I carries a drive pulley 12 connected by a third toothed belt 13 to a drive pulley 14 driven by motor 15. Edge bar 8 is connected by brackets I 6A, I 6B to belts 9 and 10.

Roller 6 contains a spring which normally biases the roller 6 in a direction to wind the material 8 back onto the roller 6. When the motor is driven in one direction, the belts 9,10 draw the material 7 off the roller to cover the sign face whilst simultaneously tensioning the spring in the roller 6. When the motor is driven in the opposite direction, so the roller winds the material 7 back onto itself, thus uncovering the sign face. The belts 9,10 and motor 15 together form a drive means to operate the blind. The gearing of mechanism used to connect the motor to the pulley 14 (e.g. the gearbox in the motor housing) will normally be such as to prevent the spring tension rewinding the material 7 back on the roller 6 without the motor operating.

11 4 Motor 15 receives power from a battery 16 connected to the motor through a control unit 17. Control unit 17 includes a radio receiver antennae 18 which receives control signals from a hand held radio transmitter 19.

Transmitter 19 has three control buttons 20A (on/off), 20B (blind up), and 20C (blind down).

In use, a person can control the sign by turning the transmitter 19 "on" and pressing the blind Q4up" or "down" button. The blind will thus either cover or uncover the sign face. The control unit would need to be designed so that only a valid signal from the transmitter 19 could operate the blind. That person can perform this task in a passing car or from the side of the road without the need to walk on the roadway.

If desired limit switches 21,22 may be used to turn the motor off when they sense that the rod end 8A has reached the desired limit of travel. Also control unit 18 may include a timer to limit the amount of time the motor drives the belts 9, 10 so that in the event of the limit switches not functioning, the motor will not keep driving and burn out.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example the blind could be in the form of a curtain rather than a roller blind. The blind could be operated by a drive means other than belts driven by a motor, e.g. the leading edge could be connected to a threaded carrier mounted on a rotating threaded shaft, rotation of the shaft moving the carrier up 9 and down the shaft. Instead of the transmitter being hand held, the sign could be controlled from a powerful transmitter from a traffic control centre some distance from the sign.

The remote control could operate using ultra sound or infra red signals rather than radio signals.

Patent Application No. describes a sign in which the information displayed is controlled by flaps remotely controlled. The features of this sign could be combined with the features of the sign of the present invention. In such a sign, the control unit 18 may need to be designed so that the flaps could not operate whilst the blind covered the sign so that the flap movement could not be restrained by the blind material.

The sign of the invention may be other than a road sign.

Further modifications will be apparent to those sUled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

9 6

Claims

1. A sign comprising a sign having a sign face for displaying a message, a blind on the sign which can be operated to cover or uncover the sign face, drive means to operate the blind, and remote control means to operate the drive means..

2. A sign as claimed in claim 1, in which the blind is a roller blind.

3. A sign as claimed in claim 2, in which the roller blind has a leading edge which is pulled away from the blind roller.

4. A sign as claimed in claim 3, in which the leading edge is connected to at least one rotating belt on one or either side of the roller blind forming part of said drive means.

5. A sign as claimed in any preceding claim in which the drive means includes an electric motor to drive the belts.

6. A sign as claimed in any preceding claim, including a pair of frame members either side of the sign face.

7. A sign as claimed in claim 6 when dependent on claim 4, in which the frame members support the blind and said belts.

7

8. A sign as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the remote control means includes a receiver, such as a radio receiver, controlled by a remote transmitter.

9. A sign substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.