AU665401B2 - An advertising display apparatus for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

r 665401

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: t it AD-A-CAB INTERNATIONAL PTY. LTD.

LEONARD WILLIAM McKELVEY r s t i i i

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a .i s e e o ,r i 0 Address for Service: CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

Invention Title: AN ADVERTISING DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES Details of Associated Provisional Application: No. PL1141 filed 2 March 1992 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: i_ r

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2 THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to an apparatus for displaying advertising on a vehicle. In particular, it relates to an illuminated advertising display apparatus adapted to be mounted to a roof of a vehicle.

Advertising display apparatus for vehicles are well known. For example, frames may be provided to mount signs on roofracks of vehicles. Support structures for providing an upright planar surface for advertising material on the rear boot lid of a vehicle (especially taxis) are also rrr 9. well known.

Str In general, known types of display apparatus possess t a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the display apparatus is not provided with a means to illuminate the advertising material thereon so that no benefit accrues from the apparatus at night as the advertising material cannot be seen.

Secondly, the display apparatus is not aerodynamically i designed so that the drag caused by the display apparatus increases fuel consumption costs. Thirdly, the advertising 2 material is not generally adapted to be easily changed. For instance, if the display apparatus includes a painted sign, the sign may need to be completely repainted if a change of fadvertisement is required.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages or at least provide the public with the useful choice.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for displaying advertising material comprising: r 3 a frame adapted to be mounted to a roof of a vehicle; said frame having one or more light transmittable portions therein on to which advertising material may be applied; a light source positioned within the frame such that in use the light source emits light some of which passes through the light transmittable portions to illuminate the light transmittable portions.

The frame may comprise one or more upright walls !0111 having the one or ore light transmittable portions therein so that in use the advertising material may be viewed by a person S standing at street level or seated in another vehicle. The frame may be domelike in form. It is preferred that the one or more walls of the frame are planar. Preferably, the frame is rectangular in shape with opposing front and rear walls and opposing side walls, the front and rear walls in use being oriented towards the front end and rear end of the vehicle respectively. The walls may each have lower edges and upper all edges, the lower edgc. being mounted in use adjacent the roof of the vehicle.

The frame may be aerodynamically shaped. The front wall may be sloped from its lower edge to its upper edge in the direction towards the rear wall of the frame. Preferably the front wall is stepped.

The frame may be provided with a roof portion.

Preferably the roof portion extends between the upper edges of each of the walls. The frame thereby forms a shell which in use is mounted concavely with respect to the vehicle.

The frame may also be provided with a base portion.

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pr 4 Preferably, the length of the base portion corresponds approximately to the length of the roof of the vehicle. The base portion may be integral with the walls of the frame or preferably, the walls form part of an upper frame portion which is detachably connected to the base portion. Suitably, the base portion is provided with suitable mounting means to mount the frame to the roof of the vehicle.

The frame may be constructed from any suitable material. Preferably, the frame comprises plastics material such as fibre reinforced plastics material.

The or each light transmittable portion may be

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located in the walls of the frame. Preferably, one light transmittable portion is located in each of the rear and side walls and two light transmittable portions are located in the front wall of the frame. It is also preferred that each light transmittable portion occupies the large proportion of the associated wall.

The light transmittable portions may be of any

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shape. Preferably, the light transmittable portions are

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largely rectangular and substantially planar.

The light transmittable portions may be formed integrally with the frame. Alternatively, each light transmittable portion may be able to be removed and replaced with another light transmittable portion so that the advertising material may be changed. The light transmittable portions may be slidably removable.

The light transmittable portions may be clear.

Preferably the light transmittable portions are merely translucent. The light transmittable portions may also be

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constructed from plastics material.

The advertising material may be painted or otherwise applied to the light transmitting portions. Incorporated into the shape of the frame or otherwise applied thereto may be an indication of the type of vehicle to which the apparatus is attached, for example "TAXI" The light source may be operated from power provided by the vehicle. Alternatively, the light source may have an independent power source. The light source may be rtr ]0!Q incandescent or of the electric discharge tube type. The frtt light source may be coloured and/or adapted to flash periodically. The light source may be controlled by the driver of the vehicle.

rThe frame may also provide a housing for one or more independent light sources which provide a beam of light so that the vehicle may locate house numbers or the like.

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an advertising display apparatus in accordance with a first preferred embodiment; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an advertising display _iLpparatus in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a further perspective view of the advertising display apparatus of Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. i, the apparatus 5 comprises a frame 10 having an upper portion 12 with a lower peripheral

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ii;-i lr- 6 edge 13 and a base portion 15 with an upper peripheral edge 16. The lower peripheral edge 13 of the upper portion 12 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 18 which abuts against a corresponding outwardly extending flange 20 provided on the upper peripheral edge 16 of the base )ortion 15. The upper portion 12 and the base portion 15 may be secured together by means of suitable fasteners (not shown) which pass through the flanges 18, The base portion 15 is in the form of a shallow rectangular tray. The length of the base portion corresponds approximately to the length of the roof of a vehicle (not shown) on to which the apparatus may be fitted. The width of the base portion is narrower than the width of the vehicle. A suitable means to mount the apparatus to the roof of the vehicle will also be provided but is, however, not shown.

The upper portion 12 is in the form of a rectangular hollow shell having four upright walls; opposing front and rear (27) walls and opposing side walls 29; and a S rectangular roof portion 30. The peripheral dimensions of the roof portion 30 is smaller than the peripheral dimension of the lower peripheral edge 13 so that each of the walls 25, 27, 29 is inclined. It is especially preferred that the front wall 25 is inclined to reduce drag on the apparatus 5 when mounted to a vehicle which is in motion. The front wall 32 is also stepped having upper and lower riser portions 34, A number of light transmissible portions 36, 37, 38 are provided on to which advertising material or similar indicia (not shown) may be applied. The light transmittable portions are preferably translucent. Each side wall 29 is 7 provided with a light transmittable portion 36 extending almost the entire surface of the wall 29. The front wall 32 has light transmittable portions 37, 38 located on the upper and lower riser portions 34, 35 respectively. Light transmittable portion 37 extends across approximately the entire surface of upper riser portion 34 while light transmittable portion 38 extends across approximately the entire surface of lower riser portion 35 and around to adjacent portions of each of the side walls 29.

SA light source (not shown) is provided within the lft frame 10 which in use emits light which may pass through the o" ~light transmitting portions 36, 37, 38 to illuminate the light transmittable portions 36, 37, 38 and the advertising material f thereon. Operation of the light source may be controlled by the driver of the vehicle.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is 0 :similar in most respects to the embodiment of Fig. 1 and like numerals indicate like features. The base portion 15 is 't provided with a base 40 which is concave so that it conforms with the contour of the roof of a vehicle to which it is adapted to be mounted. The frame 10 also provides a housing 41 for a pair of spotlights 42 which may be used to illuminate a house number or similar building identification material.

The housing 41 is provided rearwardly of the lower riser portion 35 and has a pair of windows 44, each window 44 located in one of the side walls 29.

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Claims (4)

1. An apparatus for displaying advertising material comprising: an elongate frame adapted to be mounted to a roof of a vehicle and extend longitudinally thereof, said frame having a base portion which engages the roof of the vehicle and comprises a shallow rectangular tray, the underside of which has a shape which conforms to the contour of the roof of the vehicle; (ii) an upper portion comprising a rectangular in plan hollow shell having inwardly inclined sidewalls, inwardly inclined front and end walls and an essentially planar roof; wherein said sidewalls each include a removable translucent panel, said front and end walls 0°o each include at least one transparent or translucent panel, and said "000° front wall is stepped; wherein the peripheries of said base portion and upper portion 'o 9 o 15 include mating flanges for securing said portions together; and a light source positioned in said frame and powered by said vehicle power supply for illuminating advertising material associated with said removable I panels. 00°,

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame provides a 20 housing for one or more independent light sources which in use provide a beam of light for locating house numbers or the like.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said oO o ,o removable panels are slideable panels.

4. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore describe d with reference to Figure 1 or Figures 2 and 3. DATED THIS 24TH DAY OF OCTOBER 1995 AD-A CAB INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO 1 3Aoy, 1- r i ABSTRACT An illuminated advertising display apparatus for the roof of a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a frame adapted to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle. The frame has one or more light transmittable portions (36, 37, 38) on to which advertising material may be applied. A light source is positioned within the frame (10) to illuminate the light transmittable portions (36, 37, 38). i //ll I-