WO2000003376A1

WO2000003376A1 - System for the immediate exposure of changeable assemblies of graphics

Info

Publication number: WO2000003376A1
Application number: PCT/ES1999/000216
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alejandro Andreu Herbera
Original assignee: Alejandro Andreu Herbera
Priority date: 1998-07-10
Filing date: 1999-07-07
Publication date: 2000-01-20
Also published as: AU4516099A; JP2002520661A; EP1014328A1; WO2000003376A8

Abstract

The system is comprised of a thin box (1) presenting on its front face (2) one or a plurality of horizontal rows (3, 3') of equidistant windows (20a), inside which are situated one or more assemblies of rollers-guides (13, 23) and tensioning axes (15a, 15b) which support slidable support tapes (12) on the external surface of which are placed the graphics, digits or letters (4, 4', 21a) which will appear successively when displacing manually each tape through the respective window. There can be a multiplicity of rollers or axes, with two intermediary tensioning smooth or simple axes or rollers, with a single intermediary tensioning smooth axes or rollers (16), provided with bushes having discs (14), as many of them as there are tapes in each assembly. Each of the windows of the row corresponds to a single slidable support tape so that, in each window, only the graphic, letter or digit, situated behind said window will be seen from the outside. The assembly of axes and elements guide and separators enable to arrange a series of continuous or discontinuous tapes, in an amount equivalent to the number of separations or windows in the front opening. If the tapes are continuous tapes, they have a smooth rear extreme axis, two identical intermediary axes for the tensioning, and a front axis on which is situated a series of serrated bushes (27) forming the drive element, independently for each tape. In the internal face of the body, a group of vertical pivots (22) forms guides which will impede the lateral displacement of the tapes; in the area of the rear axis there is also an assembly of U-shaped supports (22a) in the cavities of which is situated precisely said axis (23). On the internal face of both sides of the body, two symmetric or non symmetric supports (29) are fixed, said supports being provided with recesses (32) wherein are press-fitted the extremities of the rear (23) and tensioning (24 and 25) axes, whereas the front extremity has similar recesses (33) so that the front axis (26) is nested and secured with sufficient separation to enable the positioning and rotation of the serrated bushes (27) for driving the tape. The window (20, 20') can be situated in the front part or in the rear part or in both at the same time.

Description

SYSTEM FOR IMMEDIATE EXHIBITION OF CHANGEABLE GRAPHISM SETS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention patent is to guarantee the exclusive exploitation of a system designed for the immediate exposure of changeable sets of graphics, numerical or alphabetic signs of any language, which will be capable of being exchanged for other signs of the same series, all with the purpose of allowing the user to have before it, perfectly visible, a set of graphic signs that will indicate, for example, the price of a product in a type of currency, and allowing to change immediately, by simple manipulation, any of the graphics. The essential characteristics of the systems are described below. STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

The state of the art known up to the present offers, innumerable devices, always from the point of view of manual action, of multiple characteristics that go from the vulgar slate or poster on which they are written with pencils, chalk, etc., the prices from any item of sale to the public to others that through cards with interchangeable numbers normally on flat surfaces equipped with windows allow to see through them the aforementioned cards with their corresponding figures or graphics.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the system for the immediate exposure of changeable sets of graphics, object of the present invention patent, will be applied to an element provided with the appropriate mechanism that will allow them to be easily located, through a predetermined series of openings or windows, the signs or graphics that are required, presenting for it various identical and battery-arranged means, as many as graphic signs must be made visible through the windows, so that by simple manipulation, by activating the device corresponding to the sign a change, it will cause the displacement of a sliding belt, support the aforementioned signs in sequence, until, once the desired graphic sign appears, leave the user to operate the mentioned device and the tape-holder stop sliding.

As it has been indicated, an exhibitor made according to the system object of the present invention will have different and useful applications, preferably the most common commercial applications. The provision in one or several sets of graphics of the ordinary numerical series, will allow to reference in the different windows a figure equivalent to the cost of the object or product to be sold, while, for example and in a currently very useful application, in the other windows will appear the numbers corresponding to the previous price, but expressed in Euros, or in any other currency, exposed figures that will greatly facilitate the purchase and sale and exchange operations, as well as the assimilation of the cost or value of the products in the currency currently in force and in any other currency or in Euros, mainly for the Member States in which they are applicable. The system for the exhibition of graphics described, will allow, when carried out in practice and consequently, place the numerical or alphabetic signs, so that they are visible from the outside through an opening, subdivided into windows, located on the front face of the exhibitor. A practical embodiment provides for the provision of various openings for displaying the same number of numbers by varying the number of windows according to the application of the device.

Likewise, an execution can be provided with a front window and a rear window, the exhibitor being thus provided with a double belt mechanism and doubling the thickness of the body in question. The display will be provided inside a series of identical elements, located on battery, as many as sets of graphics should be visible, said elements being designed so that by simple manipulation by the user, which will manually turn any of the disposed bushings for this purpose and will cause the displacement of the continuous or discontinuous sliding belt, on which the referred graphics are located in a logical sequence (in the case of numbers, by their ordinal sequence from zero to nine) ceasing to actuate in the moment the graphics desired by the window indicated, remaining, from that moment, the tape parked until you want to operate the device again.

In order to be able to describe in detail the particularities and characteristics, both technical and functional of the system for the exhibition of sets of graphic signs object of the present invention, a series of drawings are attached hereto in which, by way of As a non-limiting example, practical embodiments of an exhibitor have been represented to which the particularities of the system have been applied.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a sectioned front view of the display in the embodiment version with two sets of rollers or multiple shafts, for guiding the ribbons supporting the graphic signs;

Figure 2 is a front view, also sectioned, equivalent to that of the previous figure, but in a simple axle or roller version with a single tensioning shaft.

Figure 3 is a front sectional view of the display, according to Figure 1, showing all the sliding support strips, placed in their respective places;

Figure 4 is a schematic detail of the roller or axle device in the multiple version, showing a location form of a sliding endless belt-support;

Figure 5 is also a schematic detail of the roller or axle device, in the simple version of Figure 2, also showing the location of the endless sliding belt-support; Figure 6 is another schematic perspective detail of a bushing of the longitudinal cut type, for engaging a normal belt, that is, non-endless;

Figure 7 is a front view of the exhibitor, showing its front face, with two openings each equipped with rows of aligned windows;

Figure 8 is a view equivalent to the previous figure, but showing the cover or rear face of the display;

Figure 9 is a side view of the device object of this execution, showing a top element for clamping; Figure 10 is a view of the display, identical to that of the previous figure, showing the arrangement of a flange for its fastening;

Figure 11 is also a side view of the display, like the two previous figures, showing the display of the display by means of a hook nail or the like;

Figure 12 presents a practical variant, in an equally lateral view, of the positioning of the display on an inclined stand;

Figure 13 is a view of another practical embodiment of the described system, consisting of an exhibitor provided with drive elements other than those of the previous embodiment, said display being shown, frontally and in a rectangular prismatic version;

Figure 14 is a front elevation view, according to section AA of the body or cover, in correspondence with the previous figure;

Figure 15 is another front view, according to section BB of said body or cover, and also in correspondence with Figure 13;

Figure 16 is a side view, according to section CC, of the corresponding body of the exhibitor, like the previous ones, with Figure 13.

Figure 17 is a detail, on a larger scale, of the posterior area of articulation of the body, according to Figure 16. Figure 18 is a partial front or plan view of the display, and on a larger scale, showing the arrangement of the elements that it has in its interior for the tensioning and the operation of the continuous tapes supporting the graphics;

Figure 19 is a front elevation view according to section AA, corresponding to the previous figure;

Figure 20 is a side elevational view, according to section BB, also corresponding to Figure 18.

Figure 21 is an enlarged plan view of one of the axle supports of the device; Figure 22 is an elevation view of the same support, according to the previous figure; Figure 23 is a side view of the support, corresponding to Figure

twenty-one;

Figure 24 is a view according to section AA, of said support, according to figures 21 and 22; Figure 25 is another view of the support head, according to section BB of the same figures 21 and 22.

Figure 26 is a side view of one of the drive bushes of the continuous belts of which the device is provided;

Figure 27 is a plan view of the bush itself of the previous figure;

Figure 28 shows the schematic section of a version of the device with front and rear windows, and simplified in terms of the rotation of continuous or endless belts;

Figure 29 is equivalent to the previous one in a simplified version of continuous tape and with a single front window;

Figure 30 is a view analogous to that of Figure 26 of a bushing for discontinuous tape.

Figure 31 is also analogous to 27 but for discontinuous tape; Figure 32 represents an axis with a series of bushings of the type that adapts the discontinuous tapes; Y

Figure 33 is a schematic form of an execution with discontinuous tapes and attached to the respective bushings arranged on the corresponding supporting axes;

According to the drawings, the system for the exhibition of sets of graphic, changeable signs, object of the present invention consists, in a first version, of a rectangular prismatic body (1), of relatively thin thickness, provided on its front face or front (2) of one or two horizontal rows of rectangular windows (3) (3 '), in the case represented seven windows in each row, through which the graphic signs (4) and (4') will be visible such as numbers or letters, as appropriate and in accordance with the specific use of the device. On the rear face or cover (5) of the aforementioned body (1), suitable self-adhesive bands (6) are provided that will allow the definitive or occasional fixation of said body (1) against any surface.

The exterior of the body (1) is completed with a ring or upper ring (8) tilting or fixed, which will allow, in the various support modes, to place, for example, a flexible flange (9) for fastening, as indicated by the Figure 10, or be hung from a suitable eyebolt (10), attached to a wall (7), as indicated in Figure 11, as well as, finally, be secured from the upper part of the foot support (11) as it is draws in figure 12. Inside the body (1) of the display, the roller or axle assemblies that will hold the appropriate sliding support straps and that will allow their sliding are arranged, so that they show visibly, through the corresponding window, the desired graphic sign at all times.

As shown schematically in Figure 4, the sliding belt-support (12) is an endless belt, wrapped around the two rollers or end shafts (13), provided with protruding discs (14), which serve as a guide to said tapes (12) in its sliding, while allowing the user, with all simplicity and ease, to manually cause the rotation and consequently the sliding in one or another direction of the tapes (12) specifically the one that is desired to change from position so that any other graphic sign (4) appears through the corresponding window (3).

The tape (12), coming from the roller or end shaft (13), in one embodiment (Fig. 4) is wound around the opposite internal smooth axis (15a), immediately moving around around the other internal smooth axis (15b), and from this, to finally wrap around the guide roller (13) of the other end, all in total continuity, said belt being perfectly tensioned by the action of the double set of inner axes.

Figure 5 shows a simpler roller or axle system, for a shorter belt (12), also provided with two axles or end rollers (13), provided with guide discs (14), but with a single central smooth axis (16), which acts as a tensioner for said sliding belt-support (12). The tape (12) may not be endless and wound, film reel type (13 '), in sleeves with longitudinal cut (13 "), as shown in Figure 6.

The practical embodiment explained and represented in Figure 1 is that of an exhibitor provided with two multiple sets of rollers or shafts and more particularly and by way of example, with seven tapes (12) each, as seen in the Figure 3, while Figure 2, in which the tapes have not been drawn, shows a display with a simple set of rollers or shafts, corresponding to Figure 5.

In the first case, the embodiment will allow two horizontal rows of windows (3) and (3 ') to be provided since two groups of sliding belts (12) (12') are available, while in the realization of the Figure 2, the exhibitor will have only a single row of windows (3), not shown, as it is equipped with a single set of sliding belts (12) (not drawn).

It should be noted that the graphic signs (4) or (4 ') may be both numbers and letters, as required, in accordance with the use of the display.

It is evident that the user who wishes to use the device of the invention will be able to interrelate figures 3 and 7, moving with the back cover open, and with the fingers the tapes (12) arranged on the rollers or shafts (13) until placing it in the suitable position until both the sign, number, etc ... (4), appear through one of the windows (3) and so on on the upper row of windows. Then you will move the lower ribbons (12 ') that will slide, allowing you to see other figures (4') through the row (3 ') of windows, figures that will be appropriate to have the relationship with the of the windows (3) mentioned above. Thus, and by way of example, an amount of up to seven figures may be displayed on the device drawn and more specifically an amount that may correspond to a price of an item in any type of currency and in the lower row another different but equivalent amount to another type of currency with which the public can instantly see its equivalence of the price in two different types of currency. It is logical that on the outer surface or front cover of the body (1), to facilitate understanding, the type of currency corresponding to each quantity or price will be written. The system for the immediate exposure of changeable sets of graphics, object of the present invention, presents as a variant in its embodiment, the display consisting of a body (16) preferably rectangular prismatic, of blunt vertices and of little thickness in relation to its amplitude . It has, at its rear edge, cylindrical holes (17) for housing the axles (18) for securing and moving the rear cover (19) that conveniently closes the assembly, protecting its interior and forming a box.

It is evident that the described form may vary according to the function to which it is applied and even its size, since its application in commerce thus requires it.

On the front outer face of the body (16) a rectangular opening (20) is placed, arranged longitudinally and divided into a row of identical windows (20a), six in the illustrated example, and which will correspond to the six continuous tapes (21 ) that the display is provided in the example drawn (Fig. 18). Through these windows (20a) the coincident areas of each continuous belt (21) located below will be visible. The sides of each window (20a) are delimited by a suitable signaling (20b) that allows the aforementioned windows (20a) to be formed on the opening (20) and that help to correctly check the graphics (21a). On the inner and front face of the body (16) there are located a series of pivots (22), slightly frustoconical, arranged in a row just next to the edge of the rectangular opening (20) and in a total of seven in the example drawn, pivots which will serve as guides to prevent accidental lateral displacement of said tapes (21). On the same inner face of the rear part of the body (16), "U" -shaped supports (22a), arranged in a row and so that a rear longitudinal axis is placed on them are arranged next to the articulation edge. (23), while said supports (22a) also constitute guides that will prevent the movement of the belts (21), when sliding around said axis (23).

The aforementioned device for moving and supporting the continuous belts (21) constitutes it, in addition to the rear axle (23), in the case represented in figures 18 to 20, two intermediate tensioning shafts (24) and (25) and the front axle (26), which in turn is provided with a series of bushes (27) of preferably grooved surface constituting the dragging element of the belts (21) on said front axle (26), whose element allows to carry out the individual drag of each belt (21) by having each of these bushings (27) an overhanging surface edge (28) also striated, on which, manually, it will act to rotate the bushing and, together with it, cause the displacement by dragging of the respective tape (21). The possibility of acting manually on the respective tape, without acting on the edge (28), in an extreme case, is perfectly admissible.

The mentioned bushings (27) in a total of six in the illustrated example are placed juxtaposed on the front axle (26), constituting a homogeneous assembly. Each belt (21) runs around the striated outer surface of the bushing (27), while the grooved edge (28), of larger diameter, also constitutes a guide that will prevent accidental lateral displacement of the respective continuous tape (21). The arrangement of the extreme shafts (23) and (26) as well as the tension shafts (24) and (25) and the belts, is clearly and very concretely drawn in Figure 20.

On the inner side faces of the body (16) there are two support pieces (29), which will be held by means of the pivots (30) that are pressed into the corresponding holes (31) of the side faces of the body (16) . These supports are provided with recesses in which the ends of the rollers or axes of sliding and tension of the belts, references (23 to 26) will be located, thus being the aforementioned axes, perfectly fitted and fastened.

The mentioned supports have, first of all, three equal recesses (32) with a flattened entrance and a rounded bottom and wider, so that the end of the corresponding shaft enters under pressure, to be securely fixed in said rounded bottom (32 '). These axes will be, specifically, the rear axle (23) and the intermediate tensioning shafts (24) and (25).

In the front part, these supports have a recess (33), with a profile equivalent to that of the previous ones, but located on an emerging pin (29a), of so that the front axle (26) when staying there under pressure will be somewhat more separated from the inner face of the body, allowing the arrangement and rotational movement of the bushings (27) together with their grooved edges (28). This pin will also keep the set of bushings (27) located on the shaft (26), very close to one of the following and without the possibility of moving laterally.

Arranged all the elements that constitute the exhibitor object of the present invention, as described above, the operation will be as follows:

First, and once each and every one of the continuous tapes (21) are placed in the arrangement indicated in Figure 20, they are properly tensioned, while their outer face on which the graphics (21a) are located, remains facing the windows (20a) of the opening (20), appearing and being visible from the outside the coincident graphics that, in the case that is represented, is an ordinal number. When you want to change the graphics (21a) visible through any of the windows (20a), simply open the back cover (19) of the body (16) and you will have direct access to the bushings (27) located on the front axle and provided with the flange of greater diameter and grooved surface (28). Acting on these flanges will cause the rotating movement of the corresponding bushing and, together with it, the sliding of the tape (21) located around it, until another desired graphics coincides with the corresponding window. The tension of the belt is ensured thanks to the tensioning shafts (23), (24) and (25).

In its practical use, the exhibitor may be used as a single element, or more than one, so that the user will have the possibility of having two or more sets of windows (20a) where different sets of graphics will be displayed, as required.

Between the windows the spaces (20b) may be indicated with other graphics, such as dots, commas, etc ..., so that through the general opening or window the figures appear, for example, with decimals.

Very schematically, variants of the body or box (16) have been shown in figures (28) and (29), with continuous tape without tensioning axes in order to show It is also possible to practice a single window (20) on one side, either the front or the back or even both (20) and (20 ').

In an advantageous version, discontinuous belts (21 ') can be used as shown in Figure 33 and, in this case, the respective rollers or shafts (23') and (26 ') will be occupied by a series of bushings (27') in a manner equivalent to those described above but provided with protruding studs (34) on which appropriate perforations (35) made near the ends of the belts (21 ') will be housed.

In this case, by applying the rotating movement on the respective edges (28 ') of the bushings (27') in one direction or another, the consequent movement of the discontinuous tape will occur as the corresponding pin will pull said tape , winding on the bushing and can be done in both directions and on any of the reference bushes.

These examples could be extended to the specific use of names or denominations in a row of windows and a lower price; denominations in different languages in each row etc., that is to say, this device allows multiple combinations both in number of rows and in number of windows, as well as length of the endless or non-slip slides, which will be directly proportional to the number of signs, numbers or letters that are available on each tape.

It should also be noted that any variation in dimensions, appearance and exterior shape, as well as decoration and types and quality of the materials used in the practical realization of the exhibitors, will in no way alter the essentiality of the present invention patent, these essential characteristics being summarized in the claims that follow.

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S

I ^a .- System for the immediate exposure of changeable sets of graphics, characterized by being constituted by a rectangular or circular prismatic box or body of little thickness, on whose front face one or more horizontal rows of windows, located regularly and equidistant, while on its face or back cover various adhesive fastening bands are located on a suitable surface, and on its upper edge a tilting or fixed ring is arranged to enable the body to be held in different ways, being also characterized in that within the body one or more sets of guide rollers and tension shafts are located, which will hold sliding support strips, on whose outer surface the graphics, numbers or letters, which will appear successively, when manually moving, are located each tape, through the respective window of the exhibitor itself. 2 .- System for immediate exposure of changeable indicia sets, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said sets of rollers or axles may be multiple, with two rollers or smooth intermediate axes tensioners, or simple, with one roller or shaft smooth intermediate tensioner and because the rollers or end shafts are provided with bushes with discs, as many as tapes are arranged in each set of rollers or shafts, plus a final one that guides the belts in their sliding, allowing to carry out said sliding manually, in one way or another.

3 .- System for immediate exposure of exchangeable sets of graphics, according to claims I and 2nd, characterized in that the windows in the upper face of the body, will be located in rows, so as sets of rollers or axles, multiple or simple, shelter inside, corresponding to each of the windows of the row with only one of the sliding support strips located inside the body and in the corresponding set of rollers or shafts, all so that from the outside Only the graphics, letters or numbers that are located behind the mentioned window will be visible in each window by sliding the tape manually by operating on the disk of the end caps. 4 .- System for immediate exposure of changeable indicia sets, according ^to claims I to 3, characterized by the fact that the sliding tapes carrying the graphic signs can be endless or strips of varying lengths and joined by their ends to bushes of the type preferably, of longitudinal cut.

5 .- System for immediate exposure of changeable indicia sets, according to previous claims, characterized by embodiment as a rectangular body, on whose front face is arranged a horizontal rectangular opening, marked in equal divisions, for consecutive row windows, said body being closed by a tilting rear cover or of any other type on its end supports, fixed in the corresponding housings located at the rear edge and characterized by having inside a set of axes and guide elements and separators that will allow the provision of a series of continuous or discontinuous tapes, as many as divisions or windows have the front opening, the required graphics assemblies being located on the external surfaces of the said tapes and that will be visible from the outside through the corresponding divisions of the front opening

6 .- System for immediate exposure of exchangeable sets of graphics according to claim, wherein the holder and the webs actuated device is constituted by a rear end axle smooth two identical countershafts, for tensioning, and front axle, on which a series of bushings with a grooved surface and one of its protruding flanges are located as a disk and also fluted, all of them fixed on said front axle and forming a uniform assembly, constituting the drag element of the continuous tapes located around it, an action that is executed, independently for each tape, by manually rotating the protruding flange of the corresponding bushing, so that the tape moves coinciding with different graphics through the corresponding openings of the front window.

7 .- System for immediate exposure of changeable indicia sets, according to claims 5 and 6 characterized in that the face Inside the body are a set of vertical pivots, located next to the horizontal opening and placed equidistant, so that they constitute guides that will prevent lateral displacement of the belts and characterized in that in the area of the rear axle also presents a set of supports , in the form of "U", arranged symmetrically and in whose cavities is precisely located said axis, constituting guides that prevent the displacement of continuous tapes.

8 .- system for exposure of exchangeable sets of graphics, according to claims 5 to 7 characterized in that on the inner face of both sides of the body are fixed by press fitting the pivots to the own effect, two symmetrical or non-symmetrical supports, provided with recesses in which the ends of the rear axles and tensioners are housed under pressure, while at their front end they have identical recesses, located on a trapezoidal brass, so that the front axle is embedded and secured, sufficiently separated to allow the positioning and rotation of the striated bushes of the belt and characterized by the fact that in the case that the tapes were discontinuous bearing graphics, individual holes can be provided near their extremities to accommodate them on emerging lugs of each of the caps. 9 .- System for immediate exposure of exchangeable sets of graphics according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the display box can present both the front window at the front and rear or both to the time since the group of continuous or discontinuous tapes have their graphics both on the reverse, as usual and even on the reverse.