WO2000003375A1

WO2000003375A1 - Supporters sign

Info

Publication number: WO2000003375A1
Application number: PCT/AU1999/000550
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Birnie Bulman; Arnold George Carter
Original assignee: John Birnie Bulman; Arnold George Carter
Priority date: 1998-07-07
Filing date: 1999-07-07
Publication date: 2000-01-20
Also published as: AUPP456298A0

Abstract

A barrackers or protesters sign including a pliable sheet (25) on which a protest or barracking message is carried which sheet is extractable from a rolled storage position in which it is rolled around a roller (24) within a casing (2) to an unrolled extended display position outside of the casing and there are included resilient means in the form of a helical spring (30) arranged so that, upon release of tension between the casing and the pliable sheet by a user, the sheet is adapted to return to a rolled storage position within the casing under the influence of the resilient means.

Description

SUPPORTERS SIGN

This invention relates to supporters sign.

The problem to which this invention is directed relates to the difficulties experienced by those who support a particular cause or a particular team when they wish to show support or disapproval.

It is conventional that placards are used which are lifted from time to time to display an appropriate message.

Such signs are traditionally indicia applied to a firm surface so that the supporting surface is a board of some form which is firstly difficult to transport to and from an arena or march, secondly it is sometimes quite tiring to hold this in an erect position and further, displaying such a sign at a sporting arena for instance, can hide the view of the proceedings from those behind the display.

This invention has for its object then to provide a sign which generally reduces some of the above difficulties or at the least provides the public with a useful alternative.

According to one form of this invention there is proposed a barrackers or protesters sign including a pliable sheet on which a protest or barracking message is carried which sheet is extractable from a storage position from within a casing to an extended display position, and, upon release, arranged to return to a storage position within a casing.

In a further form the invention can be said to reside in a barrackers or protesters sign including a pliable sheet on which a protest or barracking message is carried which sheet is extractable from a roiled storage position in which it is rolled around a roller within a casing to an unrolled extended display position outside of the casing and there are included resilient means arranged so that, upon release of tension between the casing and the pliable sheet by a user, the sheet is adapted to return to a rolled storage position within the casing under the influence of the resilient means.

In preference, the means to provide the returning force comprise a spiral spring.

In preference, the pliable sheet providing the message has at an outer end of the sheet either attached to or comprised of a spreader to assist in keeping the outer end of the sheet spread out widthwise in a display position.

In preference, the pliable sheet providing the sign has appropriate indicia markings on at least one side of the sheet and an outer edge of the sheet is either attached to or comprises a stiff portion which assists in keeping the outer end of the sheet spread out in a display position.

In preference, the size of the sheet is such that it is appropriate for the sheet to be pulled out and extend between the extended hands of a person which in preference has dimensions lying within a range of from 25 cms to 1 metre in length and from 10 cms to 1 metre in width.

In preference, the components providing the sign are adapted to effect a noise when being pulled from a storage position to an extended position.

In preference, the casing is comprised of moulded plastic and comprised two portions which are coupled along one edge by a plastic hinge and which are adapted to be closed together to provide a storage space which also captures a support member for holding the sheet in a folded or rolled up position.

These and other details will be further understood and fully explained when the invention is described with respect to claims appended hereto and to preferred embodiments which shall now be described with the assistance of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a supporter holding a first embodiment of the extendable sign in an extended position as it might be used;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the casing of the first embodiment opened showing a supporting roller with a portion of the pliable sheet providing the sign in a rolled position which is a storage position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment of the sign as in Fig 2 when in an extended position; Figure 4 is a further cross sectional view showing the first embodiment of the sign with the sheet in a substantially fully stored position;

Figure 5 shows cross sections of components including the outer casing and a support frame for the rollers;

Figure 6 shows the same elements of first embodiment of the sign as in Figure 5 in a closed position;

Figure 7 shows an external perspective view of a second embodiment of with both light and sound with the sign being partially pulled out;

Figure 8 is a further view from another side of the first embodiment of the arrangement as in Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a sign with three sheets that can be separately pulled into an extended position; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a detail of a fourth embodiment showing a switch that will be activated with the withdrawal of the sheet from a closed position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the sign 1 is constructed so as to have a casing 2 comprised of two elements 3 and 4.

The two elements 3 and 4 are joined together by a plastic hinge arrangement at 5 which includes two plastic hinges one to each side at 6 and 7 and an intermediate strip 8 which are injection moulded in one piece.

There is within the portion 3 of the case two fins 8 at an upper end and at 9 at the other end which fins are each spaced from ends 10 and 11 to leave a space there between which is shown at 12 in the one case and 13 in the other positioned so as to engage with holding grip, when the casing is closed, the respective ends 13 and 14 of frame 15.

This frame 15 then also cooperates with an equivalent arrangement of casing and fins for the side 4 where the fins 16 and 17 leave a space 18 and 19. Interengaging clips are provided at 20 and 21 which interlock with abutment 22 and 23 respectively.

The frame member 15 supports for relative rotation thereto a roller 24 around which a pliable sheet 25 is adapted to be wrapped so as to assume a storage position.

The inner end of the pliable sheet 25 is anchored to the roller 24 so that when the roller is caused to rotate in a circular direction, the sheet 25 will be caused to follow this and therefor roll around the roller.

The roller 24 includes end caps 26 and 27 which then hold therebetween a cylindrical member 28.

The frame member 15 has an inner leg around which there is wound a helical spring 30 an upper end of which is anchored to the inner end of the leg 29 of the frame 15, and a further end is anchored to the cap 27 of the roller 24.

The setting of the spring is such that when the pliable sheet 25 is caused to be pulled out, this will simply wind up the spring 30 so as to maintain a restoring force to cause the pliable sheet to return to a storage position as required.

At an outer end of the pliable sheet at 31 , there is a rod 32 passing through a sleeve 33 so that the end 31 is kept relatively supported and of course this will keep the sheet material of the pliable sheet in a spread out position which is appropriate for supporting and displaying a sign when in an extended position.

Noise is implicitly generated by reason of the parts moving against each other and in so far that the casing is of relatively rigid plastic this acts as a sounding board to effect a natural amplification of any noise. Obviously with vigour, the motion can result in significant level of noise in the embodiments shown

It will be noticed that the frame 13 is held when the two portions 3 and 4 of the casing 2 are closed together but when opened, this is free to be removed.

Figure 7 illustrates a second embodiment with a light 34 at an upper end and a loud speaker 35 in a lower end of the casing 36 of the sign 37. The light 34 and electronic noise generating means with batteries not specifically shown are arranged to be activated when the pliable sheet 38 is withdrawn from the casing 36. If this occurs in synchronism then the effect can be more exciting to users or presumably to their heroes or victims.

Figure 9 illustrates a further embodiment in which there are three separate pliable sheets 39, 40, and 41 each of which are held in a common casing 42 so that each sheet can be independently selected and displayed with an appropriately different message.

There can be in other embodiments other numbers of sheets from two up to any number.

Figure 10 is a view of a detail of a further embodiment where there are a set of contacts 43 and 44 with a separator 45 which when removed from between the contacts 43 and 44 will allow these to spring together to make contact and connect an electric circuit to connect a battery not shown to a light in the one case or a sound generating device in the other or both at the same time.

This then can provide a facility for a sign which is held by a frame member to be replaced within a single casing by another frame holding another rolled sign.

Accordingly, a supporter can purchase any sheet appropriate to a cause and can then select and hold the sheet with indicia by an appropriate casing especially of a colour appropriate for any selected cause.

In each case, the pliable sheeting either has an appropriate indicia on it or it is appropriate and is marked by the supporter directly.

The indicia can either be directly marked on the material of the pliable sheet or it can be adhered on this by appropriate methods but only so that the indicia will remain on the pliable sheet when the sheet is rapidly withdrawn from the casing and allowed the return to this.

According to this invention then it now becomes possible for a supporter to hold the sign or signs in a compact way within a casing that is easily transported and can be held quite covertly. At an appropriate time, the supporter then can simply hold the sign in the air grasping with one hand the casing and the other the stiff rod, and rapidly pull the pliable sheet from its folded or rolled up position to a full display position.

Because there is a lively action in having to pull the sign out and display this, it is therefor more likely to be noticed so that the team member or team being supported or cause being supported can more directly observe the support.

The invention therefore is directed to a rapidly displayable supporters sign that can be quickly opened up and displayed and just as quickly allowed to return to a storage position from which it will not irritate people behind unless they are from the opposite team.

Further, it is possible with energetic movements, to effect some noise from the action of opening or allowing the sign to be closed which, if there are some hundreds of these all doing the same thing at the same time, can be very supportive of a particular team or player.

Improvements in relation to the embodiment can include vanes attached to the roller which will impact as they rotate against the internal sides of the casing so as to provide a noise effect.

Further, it is possible to provide indicia on both sides of the pliable sheet so that as appropriate, the one side or the other can be shown forwardly or rearwardly as the case might be depending upon the nature of the supporters intention and where the supporter would like his indication of support to be seen.

One can imagine then the spectacle of a very large number of these being used by supporters alongside a football team opening and closing these rapidly with the exciting cheer "GO TEAM" as is illustrated in our Figure 1.

Claims

1. A barrackers or protesters sign including a pliable sheet on which a protest or barracking message is carried which sheet is extractable from a storage position from within a casing to an extended display position, and, upon release, arranged to return to a storage position within a casing.

2. A barrackers or protesters sign including a pliable sheet on which a protest or barracking message is carried which sheet is extractable from a rolled storage position in which it is rolled around a roller within a casing to an unrolled extended display position outside of the casing and there are included resilient means arranged so that, upon release of tension between the casing and the pliable sheet by a user, the sheet is adapted to return to a rolled storage position within the casing under the influence of the resilient means.

3. A barrackers or protesters sign as in claim 2 further characterised in that the resilient means comprise a spiral spring.

4. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of claims 1 ,2 or 3 further characterised in that the pliable sheet providing the message has at an outer end of the sheet either attached to or comprised of a spreader to assist in keeping the outer end of the sheet spread out widthwise in a display position.

5. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that the size of the pliable sheet has dimensions lying within the range of from 25 cms to 1 metre in length and from 10 cms to 1 metre in width.

6. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that the sign is adapted to effect a noise when the pliable sheet is being pulled from its storage position to an extended position.

7. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that the casing has two portions which are coupled along respective edges of the portions by a plastic hinge.

8. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that the casing has two elements joined together by a plastic hinge so that the two elements can be closed together to form the casing.

9. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that there is within a portion of the casing two fins at a first end and two fins at an opposite end which fins are each spaced from the respective ends to leave a space between respective fins and ends positioned so as to engage with holding grip, when the casing is closed, respective ends of frame.

10. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that there is a frame member supporting, for relative rotation thereto, a roller around which the pliable sheet is held when in a storage position.

11. A barrackers or protesters sign as in the immediately preceding claim further characterised in that an inner end of the pliable sheet is anchored to the roller.

12. A barrackers or protesters sign as in either one of preceding claims 10 or 11 further characterised in that the roller includes end caps at each end of a cylindrical member.

13. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of preceding the claims further characterised in that there is the or a frame having an inner leg around which there is wound the or a helical spring, an upper end of which spring is anchored to an inner end of the leg of the frame and a further end of which is anchored to the or an end cap of a or the roller.

14. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that there is a light supported by the casing which is adapted to be lighted from time to time by action of the protester or barracker.

15. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that there is a loud speaker with the casing.

16. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that there are a plurality of separate pliable sheets each of which are held in a common casing so that each sheet can be independently selected and displayed with an appropriately different message.

17. A barrackers or protesters sign as in any one of claims 1 ,2 or 3 where there is a set of contacts with a separator attached to the pliable sheet such that when removed from between the contacts the separator will allow these contacts to spring together to make electrical contact and connect an electric circuit to connect a battery to means selected from a light, a sound generating device or a loud speaker connected to an amplifier.

18. A rapidly displayable supporters or protesters sign that can be quickly opened up and displayed and just as quickly allowed to return to a storage position.

19. A barrackers or protesters sign substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by any one or more of the accompanying drawings.