WO2006086847A1

WO2006086847A1 - Portable banner support arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2006086847A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/000208
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary John Edwards; Phillip Raymond Richards
Original assignee: Gary John Edwards; Phillip Raymond Richards
Priority date: 2005-02-17
Filing date: 2006-02-17
Publication date: 2006-08-24
Also published as: AU2005200707A1

Abstract

A banner support arrangement (1) including a base (2), a lower transverse member engaging with the base (16), a resilient support member (6) supported by and extending from the base (2) to an upper support location where the resilient support member (6) supports an upper transverse member (16). The banner is a sheet of material (14) having pair of substantially opposing ends and a pair of substantially opposing sides. The banner is supported at its ends by the upper and lower transverse members (16) such that the banner is in tension between its ends. Each of the transverse members (16) is curved so that the banner follows a curved shape between its sides.

Description

TITLE - PORTABLE BANNER SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable banner support arrangement and a method for erecting this.

BACKGROUND ART

Portable banner supports of the kind that include a stand, and a generally vertically suspended banner, are an effective means of drawing attention to a product or service in sales and marketing situations, such as at tradeshows. At such events however it is now common to see a great many of these banner stands, and the impact of any one particular stand therefore is lessened.

It is considered that a curved banner provides considerably more impact than a conventional flat banner arrangement. In particular, people approaching a flat banner from one side or another might walk straight past it without ever looking at it. There are systems available, such as the 'Spider' system, which allow the display to be curved, but these are large and complex, and therefore expensive to purchase and complicated to erect.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable banner support arrangement that substantially ameliorates the problems associated with the portable banner stands of the prior art, or at the least provides the public with a useful alternative.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable banner support that supports the banner so as to effect a curving of the banner.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In one form of this invention there is proposed a banner support arrangement adapted to support a banner having a pair of substantially opposing ends and a pair of substantially opposing sides so that the banner is in tension between its ends, and so that it follows a curved shape or path between its sides.

Preferably, the banner support arrangement includes a base, a lower transverse member engaging the base, a resilient support member supported by and extending from the base to an upper support location where the resilient support member supports an upper transverse member, and there being a banner supported by and between the upper and lower transverse members, so that it is caused to follow a curved shape from a one side to an opposite side.

Preferably, the banner is held in tension between the upper and lower transverse members.

Preferably, the resilient support is substantially straight when it is not maintaining the banner in tension, and in flexure when it is.

Preferably, the upper transverse member is an elongate member, which follows a curved path from a first end to its opposite end, and the lower transverse member is an elongate member, which follows a curved path from a first end to its opposite end.

Preferably, the respective curved paths followed by the transverse members are of the same length, and shape. Preferably, the curved shape adopted by the banner is concave when viewed from the front.

In a further form, the curved shape adopted by the banner is convex when viewed from the front.

Preferably, the banner has at least one pocket or eyelet formed into each of its ends, and each of these pockets or eyelets is adapted to be disposed upon a transverse member.

Preferably, the banner is a sheet of material.

In a further form, the invention may be said to reside in a kit of parts for the banner support arrangement.

In a further form, the invention may be said to reside in a method of assembling the banner support arrangement, the method including the steps of assembling the base and resilient support member, attaching the sheet of material to the transverse elements, and attaching the respective transverse elements to the base and resilient support member as appropriate so that these support the sheet of material so as to effect a curving of the sheet.

Preferably, the upper transverse element is fixed to the resilient support member, and the lower transverse element is engaged with the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with respect to the preferred embodiment which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein;

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a banner support arrangement;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the banner support arrangement; Figure 3 is a side view of the banner support arrangement;

Figure 4 is a top view of the banner support arrangement;

Figure 5 is a detail cross-sectional view through the upper support element; at point B and

Figures 6 and 7 are detail cross-sectional views through the lower support element at point C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to the illustrations, and in particular to Figure 1 , there is a banner support arrangement 1 including a pair of metal, ground engaging feet 2 that together create a base. The feet engage one another at one end, such that they subtend an angle A between them. The base incorporates a collar 4 located at the vertex, which is created by the feet; this collar is adapted to receive the upright resilient support member 6.

The upright resilient support member 6 is comprised of a series of flexible, glass fibre reinforced plastic resin rods 8, each of which is straight when in an unstressed state. The rods are joined using tubular sockets 10, and the lowermost end of the assembled upright 6 is inserted into the collar 4 provided by the base.

The banner itself is a sheet of material 14, at each end of the sheet of material14 it is supported by a transverse member 16, each of which passes through a loop 18 that has been taped or stitched into the end of the sheet. Each of these transverse members is curved so that once they are inserted through the loops 18 in the ends of the sheet 14, they will effect a curving of the sheet from one side of the sheet 14 to an opposite side.

Referring now to Figure 5, the upper transverse member 16 includes a boss 20, which acts as an upper support location adapted to receive the upper end of the upright 6. This boss 20 protrudes through a hole 22 formed in the loop 18 of the sheet. The boss 20 is keyed to the upper transverse member 16 such that when the boss is disposed upon the upper end of the upright 6 in an upper support location, the upper transverse member 16 is correctly orientated with respect to the base and the lower transverse member, this ensures that the sheet of material 14 is caused to follow the desired shape of the member, which in this case is convex in the vertical plane.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, the lower transverse member 16 is retained by the feet 2 of the stand, each of which has a slot 24 formed into it near its nose. There is a catch 30 pivotally attached to each of the feet 2, each catch having a nose portion 32 adapted to guard and enclose the slot 24 in the foot, thereby capturing the lower transverse member 16. The leading edge 34 of the nose on the catch 30 has a downward angle to it; in use then, as the lower transverse member 16 contacts the downwardly angled leading edge 34 of the catch 30 it drives the catch up until it passes the nose of the catch, at which point the catch drops, capturing the transverse member 16 in the slot 24 (see Figure 7). Once inserted into the slot 24, the catch 30 will prevent the transverse member 16 from inadvertently escaping the slot 24. The sheet 14 has relief slots 26 cut into it, which will allow the nose portion of each foot above the slot to protrude through the respective relief slot.

Once assembled, the upright resilient support member 6 maintains a tension in the sheet of material 14 by virtue of the fact that the upright resilient support member 6 wants to straighten itself, this keeps the sheet 14 looking taught and free of any distortion.

An advantage of the banner support arrangement according to the present invention is that the stand 1 , inclusive of the feet 2 and the upright resilient support member 6, is substantially hidden by the banner when assembled; this can be seen in Figure 2. This effect then, combined with the curvature of the banner sheet 14, is impressive, with the banner sheet appearing to be standing on its own. Given that these banners are used for commercial purposes, these visual effects are of significant value.

When the stand 1 is disassembled, even the longest pieces are of such a length that these can be stored and transported easily. Furthermore, because the transverse members 16 can be removed from the loops in the sheet of material, the sheet of material 14 can be flattened and rolled up in a conventional manner.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognised that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims

1. A banner support arrangement adapted to support a banner having a pair of substantially opposing ends and a pair of substantially opposing sides so that the banner is in tension between its ends, and so that it follows a curved shape or path between its sides.

2. The banner support arrangement of claim 1 , further characterized in that the arrangement includes a base, a lower transverse member engaging the base, a resilient support member supported by and extending from the base to an upper support location where the resilient support member supports an upper transverse member, and there being a banner supported by and between the upper and lower transverse members, so that it is caused to follow a curved shape from a one side to an opposite side.

3. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the resilient support member is in flexure, and the banner is held in tension between the upper and lower transverse members.

4. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the resilient support is substantially straight when it is not maintaining the banner in tension, and in flexure when it is.

5. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the upper transverse member is an elongate member, which follows a curved path from a first end to its opposite end, and the lower transverse member is an elongate member, which follows a curved path from a first end to its opposite end.

6. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the respective curved paths followed by the transverse members are of the same length, and shape.

7. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims ■ further characterized in that the curved shape adopted by the banner is concave when viewed from the front.

8. The banner support arrangement as in any one of claims 1 to 6 further characterized in that the curved shape adopted by the banner is convex when viewed from the front.

9. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the banner has at least one pocket or eyelet formed into each of its ends, and each of these pockets or eyelets is adapted to be disposed upon a transverse member.

10. The banner support arrangement as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the banner is a sheet of material.

11. A kit of parts for the banner support arrangement as described in any one of the preceding claims.

12. A method of assembling the banner support arrangement as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, the method including the steps of assembling the base and resilient support member, attaching the sheet of material to the transverse elements, and attaching the respective transverse elements to the base and resilient support member as appropriate so that these support the sheet of material so as to effect a curving of the sheet.

13. The method as in claim 1 further characterized in that the upper transverse element is fixed to the resilient support member, and the lower transverse element is engaged with the base.

14. A banner support arrangement substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.

15. A kit of parts for a banner support arrangement substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.

16. A method of assembling a banner support arrangement substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.