WO1995034877A1

WO1995034877A1 - Display assembly for posters and like printed material

Info

Publication number: WO1995034877A1
Application number: PCT/CA1995/000234
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gérard PENISSON
Original assignee: Penisson Gerard
Priority date: 1994-06-14
Filing date: 1995-04-21
Publication date: 1995-12-21
Also published as: AU2300295A; GB9411899D0; CA2192830C; CA2192830A1

Abstract

A display assembly (10) comprises a rectangular frame (14) wherein each peripheral frame member (18, 20, 22, 24) is formed of a flat inner portion and of a frontwardly projecting portion. A rectangular flexible transparent sheet (16) is confined within the rectangular frame (14) and strips of magnetic material are provided on the flat inner portions of three frame members (18, 22, 24) and on the back surface of three borders of the transparent sheet. The bottom edge of the sheet is fixedly secured to the bottom frame member (20) so that the sheet may be flexed outwardly about the bottom edge and a display sheet may be inserted rearwardly of the sheet and thereafter retained in the assembly by the mutual engagement of the strips of magnetic material.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

Display assembly for posters and like printed material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a display assembly to receive posters and like printed material where it is desirable to change the display at more or less frequent intervals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various assemblies have been used in the past for the display of printed material such as posters, advertisements, photographs, drawings and the like. Some of these assemblies are constructed to be particularly useful in situations where it is wished to change the display at certain time intervals. They are constructed in a manner that they may be disassembled and reassembled to facilitate the interchange of printed material.

On the other hand, posters or like printed material are frequently defaced, obliterated or removed by vandals so that many of these display assemblies do not provide adequate protection against vandalism or weather elements. In some cases, they do not allow for a convenient interchanging of the articles that they are displaying without damaging the article. Canadian patent No. 1,246,868 issued December 20, 1988 to Kane et al. describes a weather-sealed tamper-proof display assembly designed to accept two- dimensional articles which comprises two major components held to each other by magnetic holding means. However, this type of display assembly requires a specially configured tool in the form of a blade or spatula in order to effect a separation of the two components and a change of display material.

OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display assembly which overcomes the above described problems of presently used devices.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a display assembly which does not make it easy for unauthorized persons to reach the display material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display assembly wherein weather-proof features are improved.

The present invention therefore relates to a display assembly which comprises:

a rectangular frame formed of top, bottom and opposite side members; each member defining a front portion and a recessed portion extending inwardly of the front portion; the inner portion displaying a generally flat inner surface; first magnetic holding means on the inner surface of the top and opposite side members; a rectangular flexible transparent sheet having top, bottom and opposite side edges extending inwardly of the front portions of the frame members onto the recessed inner surfaces; the bottom edge of the sheet being fixedly secured to the inner surface of the bottom frame member; and second magnetic holding means on a back surface of the sheet adjacent the top and opposite side edges of the sheet whereby, when the sheet is flexed outwardly about the fixed bottom edge, a display sheet may be inserted rearwardly of the sheet and thereafter retained in the assembly by mutual engagement between the first and second magnetic holding means.

In one preferred form of the invention, a suction cup is used to adhere to the front face of the transparent sheet in order to provide easy manual disengagement of the magnetic attraction and outward flexing of the transparent sheet to allow removal of the display sheet and the insertion of a new one.

In another preferred form of the invention, the borders of the transparent sheet are confined within the peripheral frame members so that it becomes difficult to finger grip the transparent sheet in order to flex it outwardly. Also, such construction improves the weather¬ proof feature of the display assembly preventing weather elements to reach the display sheet.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display assembly made in accordance with the present invention and shown mounted to a window or transparent plate;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of figure 2 and showing the transparent sheet being outwardly flexed; and

Figure 4 is a front elevation view with parts broken away. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to figure 1, there is shown a display assembly, generally denoted 10, mounted to a window or transparent plate 12. The display assembly 10 comprises a rectangular frame 14 and a rectangular transparent sheet 16. The frame 14 comprises a top member 18, a bottom member 20 and two opposite side members 22 and 24. These four members are formed of extrusion material and are rigidly connected as their distal ends by means of four corner pieces 26, 28, 30 and 32.

The frame members 18, 20, 22 and 24 are identically shaped so that, referring to figure 2, only top frame member 18 will be described. The frame member 18 has a rear face 34, preferably flat, adhesively secured to the window or transparent plate 12 by means of adhesive or other securing material 36. The front of the frame member 18 displays a forwardly projecting rectangular portion 38 and a recessed planar inner portion 40. The transparent sheet 16 has a top edge 42, bottom edge 44 and opposite side edges 46 and 48. As seen in figure 2, these edges substantially abut the inner side wall 18a of the frame member 18. As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, the top, bottom and side edges of the transparent sheet contact the inner side walls 18a, 20a, 22a and 24a of their respective frame members. A distance of 0.050" or less may also be foreseen between the side edge and their corresponding side walls; such distance must be as small as possible so that separation of the magnetic strips cannot be easily carried out by this separation.

Onto the front face of the recessed portion 40 of the top member 18 and that of the opposite side frame members 22 and 24, is fixedly mounted a strip 50 of ferro-magnetic material. Similarly, along the edges 42, 46 and 48 of the transparent sheet, is mounted on the back face thereof a second strip of ferro-magnetic material 52; the latter may have a thickness and a width corresponding substantially to the strip 50.

Referring to figure 3, a double-sided adhesive strip of material 54 extends along the bottom of the display assembly between the inner recessed portion 40• of the bottom frame member 20 and the back face of the bottom edge 44 of the transparent sheet. The thickness of the adhesive material 54 is substantially equal to the total thickness of the two strips of magnetic material 50 and 52 on the other three sides of the assembly so that a constant separation exists between the transparent sheet and the frame member portion 40'. This separation is such that it may receive one or more sheets of material (as indicated by arrow 59) when the transparent sheet is flexed outwardly such as shown in figure 3. In the embodiment illustrated in figure 4, there are three sheets inserted between the transparent sheet 16 and the window 12. A display sheet 60 bearing the message to be displayed is supported by a bristol board type material 64 or the like. A second display sheet 62 may be inserted if it is wished to have both sides of the assembly to display a message. Hence, when the display assembly of the present invention is mounted to a window or transparent plate, advertising can be seen from both sides of the display assembly either by having the display sheet having printed material on both faces thereof or by having two sheets, such as 60 and 62, displaying information on a single outer face thereof.

To conceal the strips of ferro-magnetic material, an opaque band may be glued to the borders 42, 44, 46 and 48 of the transparent sheet.

To enable one to outwardly flex the transparent sheet such as illustrated in figure 3, a suction cup 70 is adhered to the outer face of the transparent sheet 16. In certain cases, this suction cup will remain adhered to the outer surface while, in other cases, where unauthorized removal of the display sheet is desired, the suction cup will be remotely secured.

Preferably, the frame members are made of polymeric material while the transparent sheet is a flexible plastic material, such as acrylic or polycarbonate. The strips of ferro-magnetic material on the transparent sheet must be capable of being flexed to follow the curvature of the transparent sheet as it is outwardly flexed to receive a display sheet.

Although the invention has been described above with respect with one specific form, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that it may be modified and refined in various ways. For example, the frame may be mounted on a slightly curved surface rather than the flat surface 12 shown in the drawings. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention should not be limited in scope, except by the terms of the following claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A display assembly comprising: a rectangular frame formed of top, bottom and opposite side members; each said member defining a front portion and a recessed portion extending inwardly of said front portion; said inner portion displaying a generally flat inner surface; first magnetic holding means on said inner surface of said top and opposite side members; a rectangular flexible transparent sheet having top, bottom and opposite side edges extending inwardly of said front portions of said frame members onto said recessed inner surfaces; said bottom edge of said sheet being fixedly secured to said inner surface of said bottom frame member; and second magnetic holding means on a back surface of said sheet adjacent said top and opposite side edges of said sheet whereby, when said sheet is flexed outwardly about said fixed bottom edge, a display sheet may be inserted rearwardly of said sheet and thereafter retained in said assembly by mutual engagement between said first and second magnetic holding means.

2. A display assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said top and opposite side edges of said sheet substantially abut inner side walls of said front portions of said top and opposite side members of said frame so as to borderly confine said sheet within said frame; hand-gripping suction means adapted to be removably adhered to the front face of said sheet allowing said sheet to be manually flexed outwardly from its confinement within said frame.

3. A display assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first magnetic holding means extend lengthwise on said inner surfaces of said top and opposite side members of said frame and wherein said second magnetic holding means extend lengthwise on said back surface adjacent said top and opposite side edges of said sheet.

4. A display assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said magnetic holding means consist of flexible strips of ferro-magnetic material.

5. A display assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising an opaque band extending along said top, bottom and opposite side edges of said transparent sheet thereby concealing said first and second magnetic holding means.

6. A frame assembly as defined in claim 1, comprising a strip of double-sided adhesive material along the inner surface of said bottom frame member fixedly securing the back surface of the bottom edge of the transparent sheet to the bottom member of the frame.

7. A frame assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said strip has a thickness corresponding to that of said first and second magnetic holding means when mutually engaged to one another.