NZ244169A - Display board - Google Patents

Description

24 4 1 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PATENTS ACT 1953 NEW ZEALAND AFTER PROVISIONAL NO: 244169 DATED: 01 September 1992 IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DISPLAY MEANS WE, NEW ZEALAND APPLE AND PEAR MARKETING BOARD, of 11-19 Bolton Street, Wellington, New Zealand, a New Zealand company, hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: A DISPLAY MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present, invention relates to improvements in and relating to display means.

There are various instances where information being displayed attempts to interact with the viewer in eliciting a response.

To achieve a response, oral questions or written questionnaires may be directed at the viewer of the information. Prizes are frequently offered to encourage responses from viewers.

The present invention is directed toward display means in general and more particularly but not exclusively, to the display of information where the recipient of the information is able to provide an appropriate response.

In one particular embodiment of the invention, the information is displayed in the form of a pad of written materials.

The term "display means" is used in this specification to refer to all types of apparatus or systems which enable the presentation of information.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a display means which enables the display of desired material in a speedy and effective manner.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION; According to one aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a display means comprising: (i) a support surface extending in a substantially vertical direction; (ii) a plurality of pins extending from said support surface in a substantially horizontal direction to hold suspended therefrom, in use, apertured information material locatable over a respective one or more of said pins; and (iii) a cover member engageable with said pins to cover said pins and, in use, a top edge of said information material.

In one embodiment of the invention, the information means may include a weakened or perforated region enabling the information material to be torn off.

Further aspects of this invention whiah should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description given by way of example of possible embodiments of the invention and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS: Figures 1A, IB and 1C: show diagrammatically a perspective exploded view, a rear view, and a side view, of a display means, or parts of same, according to one possible embodiment of the invention; Figure 2: shows the display means of Figures 1 including information material displayed thereon; Figure 3: shows diagrammatically a display means according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 4: shows a display means of Figure 3 with its upper region cut-away; Figure 5: shows a display means according to a still further embodiment of the invention with part of its upper region cut-away; Figure 6: shows the display means of Figure 5 and including information material displayed thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a self supporting display means referenced generally by arrow 1 is shown including a base region 2 and an upper support surface 4. A rear support rod 3 one of which may be provided at each end, or one central rod could be provided instead for example, is shown extending from the base 2 to an upper portion of the support surface 4. The support surface 4 extends in a generally vertical direction and is shown having a plurality of projecting means 5 extending therefrom in a generally horizontal direction. In Figure 1C these are shown in the form of cylindrical pins 5 or the like which are engageable by a screw or bolt 10 located from behind the support surface 4 and through a washer or the like 11 to engage with a threaded hollow portion of the pin S to hold same in position on the support surface 4. Pins 5 could alternatively be formed integrally with the surface 5.

A channel cover member 6 is shown provided with a front flange 7 and a rear flange 8. The rear flange 8 is shown with a plurality of slots or apertures 9 commensurate with the number and size of the pins 5 so that the member 6 can be positioned over, to cover, the pins 5.

As seen particularly in Figure 2, the display means 1 enables sets of pads of information or display material 12 to be supported on the pins 5. Each of the pads of material 12 may for example consist of a plurality of separate leaflets or the like or leaflets actually bound together in the form of a pad. Surfaces 1A and IB can suitably include appropriate presentation or promotional information. —4 The material 12 ib, in outline, shown provided with a pair of apertures 13 at its upper end, commensurate with the size and positioning of the pins 5. The material 12 can then be positioned over and held by the pins 5 engaging within the apertures 13.

The material 12 is also shown provided with a weakened or perforated region 14 so that a viewer of the information on the material 12, can, by gripping the corner portion 12A, tear off the top sheet of the material 12.

It is envisaged that for one possible display, the material 12 may consist of different recipes for example so that a viewer seeing a recipe of interest can tear it off and keep it. By the use of pins or the like, a simple yet effective way is provided of holding replaceable promotional material or other information. The cover 6 also enables the manner in which the material 12 is being held to be hidden.

The material 12 may additionally or alternatively include packets, such as of plastics, which can contain leaflets and the like and be held on the same pins 5. Also, on the display surfaces there may be provision for messages to be inserted and there may also be indicia identifying the particular places for particular information material to be positioned.

The width of the coves 6 and the length of the pins 5 can both be increased to accommodate thicker pads of material 12.

In a further embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, a display means referenced generally by arrow 15 is shown with a base 16 and a supporting pole or rod 17 on which is rotatably supported a display unit 19.

The unit 19 is again shown provided with a - plurality of cover members 6 which are covering over a plurality of projecting means (5) (not shown) and holding, as required, the promotional or other display material 12.

In this particular embodiment, the display unit 19 has a surround 18 which is shown provided with a writing platform 20 leading to a collection box 31 shown in outline in Figure 3. A pen 22 and a slot 21 are shown provided so that a viewer of the promotional material 12 can address any enquiries, enter any competitions, or request further information, etc., by placing one of the torn off items of promotional material 12 into the slot 21 with any appropriate notation, for subsequent collection by the promoter. The surround 18 is suitably at about supermarket^trolley height so as to absorb any impacts by them. It is also at a height to be gripped so as to enable the display to be rotated.

A plurality of the arrangements 20, 21 and 22 will suitably be provided about the surround 18 although only one is shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Alternatively one arrangement can be supported on an appropriate side such as by the key hole slots 32 shown in Figure 3.

In Figure 4, an upper region of the display unit 19 is shown cut-away to reveal a light source 24 connected with an electrical lead 26 and supported by a bracket 25 at the top of the pole or stem 17. In an alternative arrangement the lead 26' shown in outline could feed through pole 17 from the bottom to a light source 24'. The illumination from the light source 24 enables a suitable display 23 to be viewed, produced by one or more layers of display material 23A, 23B. In one arrangement, part of the display 23 may be translucent while another portion may be transparent so that advertising wording for example could be provided on the former portion and some advertising scene or the like could be provided on the latter portion and illuminated by the light source 24. By the use of suitable panels 23A, 23B, etc., any combination of transparent/ translucent portions can be achieved.

This embodiment of the display unit 19 may be rotated about the pole 17 as the viewer selects the information contained on the information sheets 12 that is of interest.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, shown in Figures 5 and 6 a further display unit 27 is shown by way of example. This typically may be a wall mounted unit again having a plurality of cover members 6 obscuring from view a plurality of pins or the like 5 (not shown) which can hold appropriate information material 12. This again can be suitably provided with apertures (13) and a weakened region or perforation (14) (see Figure 2).

In this embodiment, an electric lead 26 is shown providing power to a light 29 providing the light source behind a plurality of panels 28A, 28B of an upper display 28 such as was previously described in respect of the panels 23A, 23B of the display 23 of Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 6, holes 30 are shown in outline provided at the back of the unit 27. These can enable the unit 27 to be suspended from a wall bracket having suitable engaging projections.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 0 A A

Claims (2)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A display means comprising: (i) a support surface extending in a substantially vertical direction; (ii) a plurality of pins extending from said support surface in a substantially horizontal direction to hold suspended therefrom, in use, apertured information material locatable over a respective one or more of said pins; and (iii) a cover member engageable with said pins to cover said pins and, in use, a top edge of said information material.

2. A display means as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said cover member comprises a channel member having front and rear flanges, said rear flange being provided with a plurality of slots or apertures commensurate with the number and size of said pins. 12 24 4 169 4 . 5. 6. A display means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 having a base member and a pole member extending upwardly therefrom, said support surface being rotatably mounted on said pole member. A display means as claimed in Claim 3 wherein a plurality of said support surfaces are provided and are rotatable about: said pole member. A display means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and further including a display surface provided with one or more translucent and/ or transparent screen members associated with an illumination means. A display means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a collection means in which, in use, a portion of said information material which has been removed can be collected. A display means substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, 3 and 4, or 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. NEW ZEALAND APPLE AND PEAR MARKETING BOARD END OF CLAIMS By ics Attorneys BALDWIN, SON & CAREY g/specs/500147/pg 1-13