WO2003046870A1

WO2003046870A1 - Cores for banners

Info

Publication number: WO2003046870A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2002/000182
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alvin De Villiers
Original assignee: Alvin De Villiers
Priority date: 2001-11-24
Filing date: 2002-11-21
Publication date: 2003-06-05
Also published as: AU2002348219A1

Abstract

A core for a banner or the hem of a banner includes a spiral of a material having a positional memory and being able to be formed into a cylinder or conical or other form and to be collapsed into a unit of a fraction of the volume of the erected form. One edge of the spiral has a lip to receive the other edge.

Description

CORES FOR BANNERS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to cores for banners or other advertising, informational or other display matter.

BACKGROUND ART

There is a great demand at present for advertising and other displays in banner form. The majority of these involve the provision of a frame, such as a pop-up frame which supports a fabric cairying the display, the fabric being drawn tightly by the frame which is held in a peripheral seam. Many shapes of frame have been used and most of these require a pole or other element for supporting the frame.

• Some banners are used at ground level, one of which includes frames located at an angle to one another to form an A-frame in side view, the long edges serving as floor-contacting edges.

In general, all banners need to be folded into a small volume or area for transport and stacking.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a core for a banner which has a cylindrical, conical or other shape, which is perfectly suited to ground level use and which is foldable or compressible into a small volume.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention a core for a banner or the like includes a spiral of a material having a positional memory and boing ablp to bo formed into a cylinder σr conical or other form and to be collapsed into a unit of a fraction of the volume of such form. The core may be made from a cylinder of the appropriate material (such as, for example laminated cardboard, steel or other metal, or the like) by cutting spirally. This may be performed on a mandrel with a suitable knife or other cutting implement or tool. It will be appreciated that the mandrel may be conical or other shape depending on the desired shape of core.

The spiral may also be made by winding or applying a suitable material such as a theπnoplastic polymer or a thermosetting or catalytically hardenable polymer on to a heated mandrel and allowing the mandrel to cool. The cylinder thus foπned should have location memory properties as referred to above so that, when formed into a spiral, the spiral will tend to prefer its shape as a cylinder.

In order to ensure a stable core, one edge of the spiral may be provided with a lip and this lip may be bent over to accommodate snugly the other edge. The depth of the lip should be equal to the thickness of the edge involved. This interengagement together with the holding of the core by the banner or its hem, or the like, will result in a stable unit. Removal of the banner will free the core to be collapsed, coil into coil so that the collapsed unit will only have the height of the width of a coil.

The collapsing operation may comprise the twisting of the core in a direction to decrease its diameter, thereby freeing the edges from the lips so that a concertina action will result in the collapse of the core.

The top and/or bottom of the cylindrical core may be provided with caps or lids so as further to increase its stability. These lids may be retained in position by means of hinges, rivets or the like.

Flexible elements such as cords may be provided to restrict expansion of the unit past the cylindrical shape.

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Thus, a pair of plates top and bottom may be provided with a nut and bolt. Alternatively, or in addition, a strap may be wound around the collapsed unit to prevent it from popping open; and the strap may have a carrying handle.

The core of the invention is ideal for the advertising of beverages and, in a refinement of the invention, an ice container may be located in the core so that the advertised beverages may be obtainable from inside the core.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a cylinder of material on a mandrel; Figure la is a detailed sectional side view of edges of the cylinder;

Figure 2 is a side view of a core according to the invention in its erected condition; and

Figure 3 is a similar view of a core in its collapsed condition.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In Figure 1 a cylinder 10 of a suitable material having the desired location memory is cut into a spiral form. This material may have been simply located on the mandrel 11 or it may have been located in position in an uncured or molten condition.

A suitable lip 12 may be formed on one of the edges as described above. This may be effected after removable of the core from the mandrel or may be foπned while on the mandrel and during the cutting operation, if possible.

The lip may include a bent over portion 14 to provide a channel whose width is approximately the same as the width of the material. This ensures a good frictional engagement. Referring to Figure 2, the core includes strings 16 to prevent the core from expanding past its cylindrical shape. However, the string may permit the spiral to be extended past the cylindrical shape to foπn a conical or truncated conical shape, if desired.

Lids 18 top and bottom are provided, the bottom lid having a bolt 20 and the top lid a screw-threaded orifice 22 so that, in the collapsed condition of the core, as depicted in Figure 3, the lids may be connected to retain the item in the collapsed stale.

It will be appreciated that the memory of the material may tend to cause or assist the item to pop up to the cylindrical shape.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A core for a banner or the like characterised in that it includes a spiral of a material having a positional memory and being able to be foπned into a cylinder or conical or other form and to be collapsed into a unit of a fraction of the volume of such foπn.

2. A core according to claim 1 characterised in that it is made from a cylinder of appropriate material by cutting spirally.

3. A core according to claim 2 characterised in that the cutting is performed on a mandrel with a suitable knife or other cutting implement or tool.

4. A core according to claim 1 characterised in that it is made by winding or applying a suitable material such as a thermoplastic polymer or a theraiosetting or catalytically hardenable polymer on to a heated mandrel and allowing the mandrel to cool.

5. A core according to any of the above claims characterised in that one edge of the spiral is provided with a lip and this lip is bent over to accommodate snugly the other edge.

6. A core according to claim 5 characterised in that the depth of the lip is equal to the thickness of the edge involved.

7. A core according to claim 5 or 6 characterised in that the interengagement of the lip and edge together with the holding of the core by a banner or the hem thereof, or the like results in a stable unit; removal of the hem freeing the core which can be collapsed coil into coil for the fully collapsed unit to have a height only of the width of a coil.

5 8. A core according to claim 7 characterised in that the collapsing action comprises the twisting of the core in a direction to decrease its diameter, thereby freeing the edges from the lips so that a concertina action will result in the collapse of the core.

9. A core according to any of the above claims characterised in that the top and/or bottom of the cylindrical core is provided with caps or lids so as further to increase its 10 stability.

10. A core according to any of the above claims characterised in that flexible elements such as cords are provided to restrict expansion of the unit past the cylindrical shape.

11. A core according to any of the above claims characterised in that suitable retaining means is provided to retain the unit in its collapsed form.

I

15 12. A core according to claim 11 characterised in that a pair of plates top and bottom are provided with a nut and bolt.

13. A core according to claim 12 characterised in that a strap is wound around the collapsed unit to prevent it from popping open; and the strap has α carrying handle.

14. A core according to any of the above claims characterised in that an ice container is located in the core so that the advertised beverages may be obtaining from inside the core.