US3510974A

US3510974A - Display device

Info

Publication number: US3510974A
Application number: US699166A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Lane
Original assignee: KEELER AND DUNKEL Inc
Current assignee: KEELER AND DUNKEL Inc
Priority date: 1968-01-19
Filing date: 1968-01-19
Publication date: 1970-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 1987-05-12

Description

May 12, 1970 Filed Jan. 19, 1968 J.LANE

DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jim.

ATTORNEYSQ May 12, 1970 J. LANE 3,510,974

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN LANE BY wqflsgowmnmsmz qu'nuv ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,510,974 DISPLAY DEVICE John Lane, Kirtland, Ohio, assignor to Keeler & Dunkel, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 699,166 Int. Cl. G09f 1/00 U.S. Cl. 40-1241 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-supporting display device formed from a sheet of bendable material. The display includes a display surface and a frame-like structure surrounding the surface. The frame-like structure is formed by folding the sheet and the folded frame-forming material is stressed to maintain the device assembled and supported without the use of fastening devices or easels.

A blank from which the device is constructed is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to displays and more particularly relates to self supporting displays formed of sheet-like material.

The prior art A great variety of products are displayed or advertised by means of display devices which may be constructed of paper or similar foldable material. These devices are commonly positioned on counters or shelves or are suitably suspended from overhead supports. In many instances such displays are furnished to a retailer by the manufacturer of goods to be advertised and are shipped in an unassembled form. Thus the recipient has the task of assembling the display device. Certain previously known displays of the self-supporting'type have included tongue and slot constructions or separate fasteners, for maintaining the display device in an assembled condition after being properly folded. In many instances the assembly of such devices required folding the unassembled device at a number of locations and locking the device in its assembled form by the aforementioned tongue and slot construction, or fasteners. Frequently the devices were improperly assembled, or the material from which the display was constructedwas torn, or both, during assembly of the devices. This caused a loss of effectiveness of the display either by unsightly damage or because the display was incapable of supporting itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention a new and improved display of the self supporting type is provided which is simple and construction, assembled quickly and easily without the necessity of making complicated folds invthe material of the display, and which is devoid of fasteners or special constructions such as tongue and slot connections, or the like.

The. present invention provides a display which is formed from a sheet ofbendable material. This new de vice is folded to produce a display having'a display surface and a frame-like structure surrounding the display surface. The frame-like structure is formed byv folding the sheet material so that the frame is maintained assembled about the display surface without the use of fas teners or structural connections formed by the sheet material. This is accomplished by resiliently flexing the material forming each side of the frame during assembly and utilizing the resilient force in each frame side to react 3,510,974 Patented May 12, 1970 ice against and balance the resilient forces in adjacent frame sides. Thus the frame sides are maintained in their flexed, assembled, positions.

The new display device is formed from -a sheet which includes a sheet portion having a plurality of peripheral sides defining a polygonal shape. A second sheet portion forming a display bearing surface is located within the first sheet portion and has a plurality of bend lines defining a polygonal shape. This second polygon has the same number of sides as the first mentioned polygon but the polygonal sides of the display bearing surface have greater lineal lengths than the corresponding sides of the first mentioned polygon. The material between corresponding sides of the golygons is bent away fro-m the display bearing surface and resiliently bows or flexes intermediate junctures of the sides of the first mentioned polygonal sheet portion to define frame-like panels. The sheet further includes tab portions disposed along the sides of the first mentioned polygon. The tabs are folded back upon the frame-like panels and bowed intermediate ends thereof to maintain the frame-like panels in their resiliently bowed conditions.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved display comprised of a foldable sheet of material having a polygonal display bearing surface and frame-like structure surrounding the display bearing surface including frame forming sheet portions bent forwardly from the display surface and tab portions bent backwardly upon the frame forming sheet portions and extending beyond the display bearing surface, and wherein the frame forming sheet portions and tabs are resiliently bowed intermediate their ends to define the frame-like structure with adjacent ends of tabs engaged to maintain the tabs and frame forming portions in the bowed condition.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved blank article of sheet-like material from which a self supporting display is constructed wherein a sheet of material is provided with a first series of bend lines defining a polygonal display bearing surface, a second series of bend lines defining a second polygon surrounding the display bearing surface and having the same number of sides as the first mentioned polygon and a tab portion extending from each of the sides of the second mentioned polygon and which article is foldable along the bend lines to produce a self supporting display devoid of fasteners or other interlock structure.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description thereof made with reference to the accompaning drawings which form a part of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS;

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a display embodying the present invention; I

FIG. 2 is an elevational viewof a blank which the display of FIG. 1 is constructed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the display of FIG. 1 taken approximately at the line article from FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a blank sheet from which the display of FIG. 6 is constructed; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a blank sheet of material from which a modified display, similar to the display of FIG. 1 is constructed.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 the display designated generally as is constructed of a foldable sheet of material which is preferably paper or a paper-like substance such as that which is commonly known as posterboard, and includes a display bearing surface 11, and a frame-like structure 12 surrounding the surface 11 providing picture frame-like panels on sides of the surface 11 as well as for supporting the display 10 as described in greater detail presently. The display surface 11 is a four sided polygon having its polygonal sides defined by bend lines 14-17 the ends of which bend lines intersect with adjacent bend lines to provide junctures or corners 20-23. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each of the bend lines 14-17 is composed of

straight line segments

24, 25 adjacent ends of each bend line and which merge smoothly into a generally circularly curved line segment 26 medially of the ends of each bend line.

The display surface 11-is thus a polygonal shape having non-linear sides and corners 20-23 which are formed by acute angles between intersecting bend lines. The display bearing surface 11 as illustrat d in FIG. 1 bears a printed image of a block letter D however, it is apparent that any printed image may be placed on a surface 11 and further that physical items may be suitably connected to the surface 11.

The frame-like structure 12 is defined in part by sheet portions 30-33 which are folded forwardly of the dis play surface 11 so that the frame-like structure 12 may be said to have an inner periphery defined by the bend lines 14-17. The sheet portions 30-33 are folded along straight fold lines 34-37, respectively, with the fold line of each of the sheet portions 30-33 intersecting the fold line of an adjacent sheet portion at the junctures or corners 20-23 of the display surface 11 so that frame forming sheet portions or panels 40-43 are defined between each of the bend lines 14-17 and a corresponding one of the fold lines 34-37 intermediate the corners 20-23. The fold lines 34- 37 define a continuous polygonal periphery about the surface 11 and the frame forming sheet portions 40-43.

The sheet portions 30-33 additionally include generally rectangular tabs 44-47 respectively (which are illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 1) and which tabs include a side formed by its respective one of the fold lines 34-37 and with each of the tabs 44-47 extending continuously between adjacent corners or junctures 20-23 of the display.

The display 10 is assembled to a self supporting condition by folding the tab portions 44-47 along the fold lines 34-37 rearwardly of the display surface 11. While the tab portions are maintained in their folded positions, the frame forming sheet portions 40-43 are bent forwardly of the display surface along the bend lines 14-17 which results in the frame-like structure 12 snapping into the configuration shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, and being self supported in the illustrated configuration as is described in more detail presently.

The fold lines 34-37 have a lesser lineal length than the bend lines 14-17 so that when the frame forming sheet portions 40-43 are bent forwardly of the display surface 11 (see FIG. 1) such frame forming sheet portions are resiliently bowed intermediate the morners 20- 23 of the display. When the display 10 is in its assembled condition illustrated in FIG. 1 the frame-like structure 12 is defined by a four sided polygon with each side defined by a gently curving line formed by the fold lines 34-37.

The bend lines 14-17 and fold lines 34-37 may be formed in any suitable manner but in the preferred embodiment the lines are provided by scoring or cutting the surface of the blank sheet. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the

4. blank sheet is scored on the reverse side of the display surface to form the lines 14-17 and permit bending of the frame forming sheet portions forwardly from the display surface. The score lines are relativ ly shallow so that the sheet material is not substantially weakened by the scoring but may be readily bent.

The fold lines 34-37 are defined by scoring the front or forward surface of the blank sheet so as to permit folding of the tab portions backwardly of the frame forming sheet portions without excessively weakening the sheet material.

Since bowing of the frame forming sheet portions of panels 40-43 is resilient, it will be appreciated that each frame forming sheet portion resists the aforementioned bowing and tends to assume its relaxed or original position in the plane of the display surface 11. The tab portions 44-47 are effective to provide forces which resist the tendency of the frame forming sheet portions 40-43 to return to their relaxed positions and additionally provide a support for maintaining the display 10 in a self standing position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 all of the tab portions 44-47 are identical and accordingly the construction and operation of only the tab 45 in its relation to the

tabs

44, 46 is described in detail. As shown in FIG. 2 the tab 45 is rectangular in shape having one long side formed by the fold line 35 extending from the corner 20 to the corner 21, an opposite free edge or side 50 which is the same length as the fold line 35, and end

edges

51, 52 extending at right angles from the fold line 35 at the

corners

20, 21 respectively. The tab 44 is formed by the same manner as the tab 45 and includes a long side formed by the fold line 34, an opposite free side or edge 53 of the same length as the fold line 34, and end

edges

54, 55 which extend at right angles to the fold line 34 from the

corners

20, 23. The tab 46 includes a free side 60 of the same length as the fold line 36 and end edges 61, 62 extending at right angles from the fold line 36 at the

corners

21, 22.

When the tabs 44-46 are bent backwardly upon the frame forming sheet portions 40-42, and the sheet portions 40-42 are bowed as described, each of the tabs is resiliently bowed intermediate its end edges with the maximum deflection of the tab portion occurring medially of the end edges, as best seen in FIG. 5.

When the tab portions are bowed, adjacent end edges of adjacent ones of the tabs extend rearwardly from the corner of the display 10 at which they are connected and are urged into engagement. Thus, as seen in FIG. 4 when the tab 45 is bent backwardly along the frame forming sheet portion 41 and bowed, the end edge 52 thereof engages the end edge 61 of the tab 46, while the end edge 51 of the tab 45 engages the end edges 54 of the tab 44. The

tabs

45, 46 are engaged over

areas

65, 66 lllustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 2 while the

tabs

45, 44 are engaged over areas :67, '70 of FIG. 2. Since all of the tabs 44-47 are folded back and bowed, the force of engagement between adjacent end edges of the tabs produces reaction forces throughout the areas adjacent the end edges of the tabs. The reaction forces are exerted generally normally to tab portions adjacent the end edges thereof and are sufliciently large to maintain the tabs in their bowed conditions.

It is to be appreciated that the sheet material is of such character that the coeflicient of friction between the engaged end edges of the tabs is sufficiently large to prevent sliding of the edges relative to each other. Since the tabs 44-47 are folded back upon the frame forming sheet portions 40-43 the tabs and frame forming sheet portions are maintained in their bowed conditions by the aforementioned reaction forces and the display 10 is self retained in its configuration illustrated in FIG. 1.

When the display 10 is assembled the corners 20-23 are all disposed substantially in the plane X (see FIG. 5) and the engaged end edges of adjacent tab portions extend from the plane X at an angle which is slightly greater than 90. Therefore when the display is placed upon a horizontal surface the display bearing surface is dis posed generally in a plane parallel to the plane X and faces slightly upwardly with the display 10 being supported solely by engaged end edges of the particular tabs which form the base and sides of the display 10. In FIG. 1 the end edges of the tab 47 and the end edges 55, 62 of the

tabs

44, 46, respectively, provide the sole support for the display 10.

FIGS. 6-9 illustrate a modified display 100 embodying the present invention including a display bearing surface 101 and frame structure 102 disposed about the display bearing surface. The display bearing surface 101 is a triangularly shaped polygon having circularly curved sides 103-105 which are defined by bend lines formed in the sheet of material and which intersect at points 110-112 forming apexes of the triangular polygon.

The frame structure 102 includes frame forming sheet portions or panels 115-117 and tab portions 120-122 connected to the frame forming portions 115-117, respectively, along fold lines 123-125. The fold lines 123-125 define sides of a triangular polygon surrounding the display bearing surface 101 and frame forming sheet portions 115-117 and which fold lines intersect to define corners 126-128 of the second mentioned triangular polygon. The corners 110-112 of the display bearing surface 101 and the corners 126-128 of the frame-like structure 102 are connected by bend lines 130-132 extending between corresponding ones of the corners 110-112; 126-128, respectively. The bend lines and fold lines referred to are defined by scoring or creasing the sheet material as described previously relative to FIGS. 1-5.

The tabs 120-122 are rectangular in configuration each having a long side formed by the fold lines 123-125, respectively, and having end edges extending transversely of the fold lines 123-125 from the corners 126-128 of the frame-like structure. Since all the tab portions 120-122 are identical in construction and function only the tab portion 121 is described in its relation to the

tab portions

120, 122.

The tab portion 121 includes the end edges 135, 136 which cooperate with the end edge 137 of the tab portion 120 and an end edge 140 of the tab portion 122, respectively. When the display 100 is assembled, the frame forming sheet portions or panels 115-117 of the display 100 are bent forwardly along the lines 103-105 and the tab portions 120-122 are folded back upon the rearwardly facing surfaces of the frame forming sheet portions 115-117 so that the frame forming sheet portions are each resiliently bowed intermediate the corners 126-128 of the display and with the tab portion associated with each of the frame forming portions being similarly bowed.

The end edges of the adjacent tab portions are urged into engagement to maintain the tab portions and the associated frame forming portions of the frame-like structure 102 in the resiliently bowed condition. The end edges 135, 137 of the

tab portions

121, 120, respectively, are engaged over generally triangular areas designated 142, 143 in FIG. 6, adjacent the end edges 135, 137 when the display 100 is assembled. The end edges 136, 140 of the

tabs

121, 122 are similarly engaged over the generally triangular areas designated 144, 145 of the FIG. 9.

The end edges of each of the tab portions are longer than the maximum distance between the fold line defining the long side of the tab and the bend line forming an adjacent or corresponding side of the display bearing sur- 'face 101 so that when the tabs 120-122 are folded back wardly and bowed as described, each tab extends for a substantial distance beyond the display bearing surface 101. Due to the bowing of the tab portions intermediate the end edges thereof the adjacent end edges of the tabs are engaged along lines which extend at an obtuse angle from a plane Y in which the corners 126-128 of the display are disposed and which angles are designated by the letter b in FIG. 7. The display 100 is supported by the extending engaged end edges of the tab portions forming the base and sides of the triangular frame as illustrated in FIG. 7 and the display surface 101 is disposed generally parallel to the plane Y of the corners 126-128 and faces upwardly from a horizontal supporting surface for the display.

FIG. 10 illustrates a further modification of a display embodying the present invention which is similar to the display 10 of FIGS. 1-5 and wherein similar parts are designated by corresponding primed reference characters. The display 10' includes a display surface 11, having the same general polygonal shape as the display bearing surface 11 of FIG. 1 except that the bend lines 1417' are defined by straight line segments intermediate

curvilinear bend lines

151, 152 with the

line segments

151, 152 of adjacent bend lines 14'-17' intersecting at corners 153. The corners 153 are spaced from the corners 20-23, with corresponding ones of the corners 153 and 20'-23' connected by a single bend line 154.

A display 10' constructed as disclosed in FIG. 10 produces a substantially square planar display surface having a frame-like structure 12' surrounding the display bearing surface which is defined by four frame forming sheet portions or panels and tab portions. The bend and fold lines of the display 10 are defined by score lines in the sheet material and the display 10 is assembled in the same manner as described in reference to FIGS. 1-5 to be self supporting an a planar surface.

While three embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein in considerable detail the present invention is not to be considered to be limited to the precise constructions shown. Self supporting displays embodying the invention could, for example, be constructed to define polygons having a greater number of sides than four and could, be constructed with tab portions along a majority but not all of the polygonal sides of the display.

It is therefore my intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modifications and uses of the present invention which come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display comprised of foldable sheet-like material including a first polygonal sheet portion having sides defined by fold lines in the sheet material, a second polygonal sheet portion within said first sheet portion defining a display bearing surface and with sides of said second mentioned polygonal portion being formed by fold lines in said material, said first and second polygonal sheet portions having the same number of sides and with the bend lines defining sides of said second mentioned polygonal portion being of greater lineal length than corresponding ones of said fold lines of said first mentioned polygon, said sheet material between corresponding sides of said first and second sheet portions bein bent in the first direction away from said display bearing surface along said bend lines to define frame forming sheet portions which are disposed about said display bearing surface, said frame forming sheet portions being resilient- 1y bowed intermediate junctures of said fold lines, and tab portions connected to said frame forming sheet portions along said fold lines for maintaining said frame forming sheet portions in said lbowed condition.

2. A display as defined in claim 1 wherein said tab portions are bent backwardly upon said frame forming sheet portions along said fold line and are resiliently bowed intermediate their ends.

3. A display as defined in claim 2 wherein three of said tab portions provide the sole support for said display.

4. A display as defined in claim 1 wherein said tab portions are maintained in said resiliently bowed conditions by forces exerted thereon by adjacent tab portions.

5. A display as defined in claim 1 wherein said tab portions are generally rectangular in shape having a major side defined by said fold lines and end edges extending transversely from said fold line adjacent corners of said first mentioned polygonal sheet portion, said end edges of adjacent ones of said tab portions urged into engagement when said tab portions are in said resiliently bowed condition and with the engaging force of said end edges effective to maintain said tab portions in said bowed conditions.

6. A display as defined in claim wherein said engaged end edges of three of said tab portions extend from said bend line beyond said display bearing surface and define the sole support for said display.

7. A display as defined in claim 1 wherein the corners of said first polygonal sheet portion and the corners of said second sheet portion are disposed closely adjacent each other and further including a bend line extending between the corresponding said display surface and said first mentioned polygonal sheet portion, said bend line between said corners defining a juncture of adjacent frame forming sheet portions.

8. A display as defined in claim 1 wherein the corners of said first sheet portion and corresponding corners of said second sheet portion are at the same location on said sheet and the bend lines defining the sides of said second sheet portion include arcuately curved line segments providing for said resilient bowing of said frame forming sheet portions.

9. A display device comprised of a sheet of foldable material including a polygonal display bearing surface and a frame-like structure surrounding said display bearing surface; said frame-like structure including frame forming sheet portions extending from sides of said polygonal display bearing surface along bend lines defining sides of said display bearing surface, tab portions disposed along sides of said frame forming sheet portions and folded back upon said frame forming sheet portions, said tab portions and said frame forming sheet portions being resiliently bowed intermediate ends thereof to define said frame-like structure, and means for maintaining said tab portions and said frame forming sheet portions in said bowed condition.

10. A display as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for retaining said tab portions and, said frame forming sheet portions in said bowed conditions includes surface portions of adjacent tab portions engaged in the vicinity of corners of the frame-like structure.

11. A display as defined in claim 10 wherein said tab portions are generally rectangular in shape having a major side defined by the fold line between said frame forming sheet portion and said tab portions and end edges extending generally transversely to said fold line at the corners of said frame-like structure, end edges of adjacent ones of said portions being urged into engagement when said frame forming sheet portions and said tab portions are resiliently bowed.

12. A display as defined in claim 10 wherein the bend lines defining sides of said polygonal display bearing surface are of greater lineal extent than the lineal extent of said fold lines between said frame forming sheet portions and said tab portions.

13. A blank article of sheet-like foldable material from which a display device may be constructed including a first series of bend lines defining a polygonal surface, a

second series of bend lines defining a polygon surrounding said polygonal surface, said polygon having the same number of sides as said polygonal surface, junctures of bend lines defining said polygonal surface disposed adjacent corresponding junctures of bend lines defining said polygon and corresponding sides of said polygon and said polygonal surface spaced apart, and tab portions extending from each of the sides of said polygon, said first series of bend lines enabling folding in one direction and said second series of bend lines enabling folding of said tabs in an opposite direction.

14. A blank article as defined in claim 13 wherein said tab portions are generally rectangular in shape each having a major side defined by one of said bend lines of said second series of bend lines and with the width of said tab portions being greater than the maximum distance between said one of said bend lines and a corresponding bend line defining a side of said first mentioned polygon.

15. A display as defined in claim 13 wherein said first series of bend lines include arcuately curved segments and are of greater lineal extent than the length of a corresponding one of said second series of bend lines.

16. An article as defined in claim 13 wherein one of said series of bend lines is defined by scoring the material of said sheet along one major surface thereof and said other series of bend lines is defined by scoring said sheet on the opposite major surface thereof.

17. An article as defined in claim 16 wherein said score lines defining the sides of said first mentioned polygon are defined at least in part by arcuately curved segments.

18. A display device comprised of foldable sheet-like material including a first polygonal sheet portion having sides defined by fold lines in the sheet material, a second polygonal sheet portion within said first sheet portion defining a polygonal surface and with sides of said second polygonal portion being formed by fold lines in said material, said first and second polygonal sheet portions having the same number of sides and with the bend lines defining sides of said second polygonal portion being of greater lineal length than corresponding ones of said fold lines of said first mentioned polygon, said sheet material between corresponding sides of said first and second sheet portions being bent in the first direction away from said second polygonal portion along said bend lines, said sheet material between said corresponding sides being resiliently bowed intermediate junctures of said fold lines, and tab portions connected to said polygonal portion along said fold lines and projecting therefrom beyond said second polygonal portion and effective to maintain said sheet material between said corresponding sides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1956 Polay. 5/ 1965 Scherotto.

US. Cl. X.R. 40126