WO2006116812A1

WO2006116812A1 - Advertising sign media

Info

Publication number: WO2006116812A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/000574
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anter Joseph Isaac
Original assignee: Anter Joseph Isaac
Priority date: 2005-05-03
Filing date: 2006-05-03
Publication date: 2006-11-09

Abstract

Advertising sign media is made of netting material, such as woven shade cloth of high density polyethylene, which is adapted to provide a high light reflecting front surface and a low light reflecting rear surface. The front surface has advertising text and/or graphics applied thereon. The relative light transmitting properties of the surfaces is such that the front surface is substantially non- transparent to viewers on the front side and the rear surface is substantially transparent to viewers on the rear side. The netting material has at least 50% light transmitting properties at its rear surface, and less than 50% light transmitting properties at its front surface. The high light reflecting front surface is produced by applying a thin layer of white paint or other light coloured coating or dye thereon by means of screen printing, screen writing, sign writing, pressure sensitive films, spraying, digital printing, brushing, air brushing, or use of crystal image technology or computer cut lettering. The low light reflecting rear surface is produced by applying a thin layer of dark coloured paint, film, additive or dye thereon.

Description

ADVERTISING SIGN MEDIA

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to advertising sign media and, in particular, to netting material, such as shade cloth, which is adapted to provide a high light reflecting front surface on which advertising text and/or graphics is applied, and a low light reflecting rear surface that facilitates substantial transparency of the material when viewed from the rear.

The invention has particular application in the areas of sporting events, corporate conferences, industrial site perimeter fencing and the like, where it is desired to use sign media that presents an advertisement to viewers on one side thereof but is substantially transparent to viewers on the other side thereof. When located around the perimeter of sporting fields, racetracks, and other sporting venues, for example, the netting material would provide event organizers and promoters with lightweight and affordable advertising space that would be visible to spectators and television viewers, and at the same time, not interrupt the spectators' view of the sporting event. When used as perimeter fencing around industrial sites, such as factories and building sites, the netting material would provide advertising space to viewers outside the perimeter fencing, whilst providing privacy, safety, and security to the occupants of the site and allowing them to view events on the outside of the perimeter fencing.

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional on-field advertising signage at sporting events is in the form of A-frames or other self supported board types of signage. These are, by their nature, not see-through or transparent to any substantial degree, and so must not be placed in the line of sight of spectators of the events. They have, for this reason, always been located close to the ground and usually below the height of the fence line around the sporting field, thereby limiting the advertiser's exposure. It would be advantageous for the event organizers and promoters to have signage that is not limited in its height to that of the fence line or similar, but can stand to any desired height (even above the eye level of the spectators) without disrupting the view of spectators located behind it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventor has found that by utilizing a netting material, and especially shade cloth, which is adapted to provide a high light reflecting front surface and a low light reflecting rear surface, and by applying advertising text and/or graphics to the front surface to create advertising sign media for major events, the sign media is substantially transparent to spectators on the rear side thereof.

Accordingly, the present invention provides advertising sign media comprising netting material which is adapted to provide a high light reflecting front surface and a low light reflecting rear surface, the front surface having advertising text and/or graphics applied thereon, the relative light transmitting properties of the surfaces being such that the front surface is substantially non-transparent to viewers on the front side and the rear surface is substantially transparent to viewers on the rear side. It is preferred that the netting material has at least 50% light transmitting properties at its rear surface, and less than 50% light transmitting properties at its front surface.

Preferably, the netting material is shade cloth.

It is preferred that the shade cloth is made of polyethylene, and in particular, high density polyethylene (HDPE).

The HDPE shade cloth preferably includes UV stabilizers and colour additives.

The HDPE shade cloth may be knitted or woven. Where the HDPE shade cloth is knitted, it is preferably of a ribbon or monofilament structure.

Alternatively, the shade cloth may be made of metallized polyethylene, and in particular, aluminized, high density polyethylene, such as that commonly referred to as Aluminet ™.

In other alternative forms of the invention, the netting material may be made of knitted or woven polyester, polypropylene, or fiberglass.

In a preferred form, the netting material is produced by knitting or weaving monofilament yarns.

It is preferred that the high light reflecting front surface is produced by applying a thin layer of white paint or other light coloured coating or dye thereon, such as by means of screen printing, screen writing, sign writing, pressure sensitive films, spraying, digital printing, brushing, air brushing, or use of crystal image technology or computer cut lettering. It is preferred that the low light reflecting rear surface is produced by applying a thin layer of dark coloured paint, film, additive or dye thereon, and preferably a non-reflective or matte black paint.

The netting material preferably has an average burst strength in the range of 18OkPa to 28OkPa, and preferably 230 kPa, and preferably provides between 60% and 80% shade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

EXAMPLE

A shade cloth material, woven of high density polyethylene with UV stabilizers and colour additives, was cut and then framed into an appropriate size for use as advertising signage. If required, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, or fiberglass can be used in place of polyethylene.

One surface of the cut shade cloth material was spray painted with high light reflecting white paint and the other side was finished in matte black paint treatments, say, by a two step calendering process. When dry, advertising text and graphics were applied by screen printing to the high light reflecting surface.

In use, the resulting advertising sign media was substantially transparent when viewed from the rear side but provided a clear presentation of the desired advertisement to viewers on the front side thereof. The advertising sign media was supported by A- frames, but any means of providing upright support may be used.

Testing of the so produced advertising sign media showed that it had the following characteristics: - average burst strength of 230 kPa,

- about 70% shade,

- resistance to fraying and unraveling if cut.

It was also apparent that the advertising sign media could assist in controlling temperature (outdoors), would minimize the effects of wind, hail, and other extreme weather, and, of course, would be strong and light weight.

Due to its strength, the advertising sign media can also provide a relatively high degree of safety to spectators of sporting events where there is a possibility of debris or other matter being projected from the sporting field towards the spectators, such as may occur in motor racing, baseball, ice hockey and the like.

The use of shade cloth as the netting material for the advertising sign media also has the advantage of being very durable, waterproof, lightweight, re-usable, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely strong.

The following accessories allow the advertising sign media of the invention to be utilized in a variety of commercial environments that possess different construction and design styles, namely :-

- eyelets

- reinforcing tape

- zippers

- hook and loop fasteners

- rope

- D rings

- sewing

- cutting

- heat welding

- aluminium tracks and gutters. Other environments in which the invention may be used are as road or bridge signage, as a safety barrier for road workers, and perimeter fencing for emergency services.

It would be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the advertising sign media of the present invention without departing from the scope or ambit thereof.

Claims

1. Advertising sign media comprising netting material which is adapted to provide a high light reflecting front surface and a low light reflecting rear surface, the front surface having advertising text and/or graphics applied thereon, the relative light transmitting properties of the surfaces being such that the front surface is substantially non-transparent to viewers on the front side and the rear surface is substantially transparent to viewers on the rear side.

2. The advertising sign media of claim 1 wherein the netting material has at least 50% light transmitting properties at its rear surface, and less than 50% light transmitting properties at its front surface.

3. The advertising sign media of claim 1 wherein the netting material is shade cloth.

4. The advertising sign media of claim 3 wherein the shade cloth is made of polyethylene.

5. The advertising sign media of claim 4 wherein the polyethylene is high density polyethylene.

6. The advertising sign media of claim 5 wherein the high density polyethylene shade cloth is knitted or woven.

7. The advertising sign media of claim 1 wherein the high light reflecting front surface is produced by applying a thin layer of white paint or other light coloured coating or dye thereon by means of screen printing, screen writing, sign writing, pressure sensitive films, spraying, digital printing, brushing, air brushing, or use of crystal image technology or computer cut lettering.

8. The advertising sign media of claim 1 wherein the low light reflecting rear surface is produced by applying a thin layer of dark coloured paint, film, additive or dye thereon.

9. The advertising sign media of claim 8 wherein the dark coloured paint is a matte black paint.

10. The advertising sign media of claim 1 wherein the netting material provides between 60% and 80% shade.