DE29918754U1 - Billboard - Google Patents

Description

GRÜNECKER, KINKELDEY, ST.OCKMAIR §

ANWA LtVs'O'z I E T A*f

LAW FIRM ETAT MAXIMiLIANSTRASSE S3 D-80S38 MUNICH GERMANY Applicant:

GUSTAV STABERNACK GMBH

RICHARD-STABERNACK-STRASSE 36341 LAUTERBACH

LAWYERS

MUNICH

HELMUT EICHMANN

GERHARD BARTH

DR. ULRICH BLUMENRÖDER, LL. M.

CHRISTA NIKLAS-FALTER

DR. MAXIMILIAN KINKELDEY, LLM.

SONJA SCHAEFFLER

DR. KARSTEN BRANDT

OF COUNSEL

PATENT ATTORNEYS

AUGUST GRÜNEECKER
DR. GUNTER BEZOLD
DR. WALTER LANGHOFF

DR. WILFRIED STOCKMAIR (-1996)

PATENT ATTORNEYS EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS

MUNICH

DR. HERMANN KINKELDEY

DR. KLAUS SCHUMANN

PETER H. JAKOB

WOLFHARD MEISTER

HANS HILGERS

DR. HENNING MEYER-PLATH

ANNELIE EHNOLD

THOMAS SCHUSTER

DR. KLARA GOLDBACH

MARTIN AUFENANGER

GOTTFRIED KUTZSCH

DR. HEIKE VOGELSANG-WENKE

REINHARD KNAUER

DIETMAR KUHL

DR. FRANZ-JOSEF ZIMMER

BETTINA K. REICHELT

DR. ANTON K. PFAU

DR. UDO WEIGELT

RAINER BERTRAM

JENS KOCH, M.S. (Uof PA) M.S. (ENSPM)

COLOGNE

DR. MARTIN DROPMANN

YOUR REF.

OUR REF.

G4160-00142/oe DATE

25.10.99

Billboard

MAXIMILIANSTRASSE 58 D-80538 MlJlsijUEN · » · * _# KAISER-WILHfety1-RIN£ri3*t*5J3S7.2 COLOGNE JJ DEUTSCHE BANK MUNICH NO. 17 51734

TEL 089/21 23 50 FAX (Gr.3) 089/22 02 B7,J(Gr.il)iO89/21 86.9*2 93**!tEL*&21/94 9>22 &bgr; FAJ (Gr,3j _# (J221 /p4 97 2%2>* .J.BLZ 700 700 10 SWIFT: DEUT DE MM http://www.grunecker.de - e-mail: postm3^2r@?j?ijVieckef ^ie** ** e-mail: dropmann@grunecker.de

Billboard

The present invention relates to a poster wall made of cardboard material, which can be transferred from a flat non-use position to an upright use position and comprises a column element which comprises two wall regions which lie flat on top of one another in the non-use position and are connected to one another at their side edges, and at least one spreading device which spreads the wall regions away from one another in the use position at least in their central section.

Such a billboard or display is known from DE 7802400 U1. This consists of a hollow body made of two essentially vertical walls that are connected to one another at parallel, at least approximately vertical edges. The hollow body has a spreading support that presses it into a double-convex shape in the position of use, so that the hollow body takes on a lens shape in cross-section. A wide variety of spreading means are described in this document. Folding the display along a transverse folding line is also part of this state of the art. The hollow body is preferably made from a one-piece cardboard cut-out that is glued on one side using an adhesive tab. Lids can be provided under certain circumstances. Such an element has proven to be very effective as a sales display and a wide variety of setup forms can be achieved by grouping several such column elements in different ways. However, the handling still leaves something to be desired, especially with relatively large displays.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve a billboard of the type mentioned at the beginning.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that at least one poster element is arranged next to the column element, and that one side edge of one element is connected to the side edge of the other element by a hinge connection for transferring the elements from a flat, folded-up, non-use position to an upright, use position. This means that the poster area can be enlarged within a single structural unit. The individual elements of the poster wall are immovably connected to one another by means of

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the hinge connection so that an essentially closed poster surface can be created. This relatively large poster wall can be erected from a single basic element that is folded flat when not in use. The column element of the poster wall ensures sufficient stability regardless of the angle of the poster element to the column element. Large, connected images can be displayed with this poster wall without offset or significant gaps. Erecting a large-scale poster wall from many individual elements that have to be handled separately is no longer necessary. According to the invention, any number of poster elements can be arranged on the column element. This can be done by placing a poster element to the left and one to the right of the column element, and further poster elements can also be arranged on the poster elements via hinge connections.

In addition, it is also possible for at least one poster element to be designed as a column element with a spreading device. In order to further increase the stability of relatively large poster walls, additional spreadable column elements can be provided instead of flat poster elements. These are then also arranged so that they can be pivoted directly on the base column element or on adjacent flat poster elements using hinge connections. It is also important here that, despite such a large poster wall, it can be converted back into a relatively small, flat, folded-up position when not in use. So that relatively stiff cardboard materials, which may be considerably thick, can also be folded flat on top of one another, it is also preferred if the hinge connection between the elements is designed to be elastic. This then allows the elements to be folded flat when not in use without any problem. In addition, such elastic hinge connections do not tear as quickly as simple folding lines in the cardboard material itself.

The hinge connection can advantageously comprise hooking devices in the area of the side edges of the elements and elastic bands or cords hooked into them, whereby the elastic bands or cords extend from one element to the adjacent element. Elastic bands or cords are available in a variety of shapes and made of different materials that are suitable for this purpose.

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Simple rubber rings of suitable thickness can be used, which are then hung or hooked into the hooking devices. In this context, it is particularly advantageous if the elastic bands or cords are sufficiently pre-tensioned to hold the side edges of the elements close together. If the hooking devices are designed to be sufficiently stable, a considerable tensile load can be applied by means of the elastic bands or cords, which ensure that the elements are arranged close to one another and still have a sufficient hinge effect.

In order to stiffen the side edge areas of the column elements, each wall area of the column elements can have an adhesive tab running along its side edge, with the outside of the adhesive tabs of associated wall areas being glued together and the adhesive tabs being folded in between the wall areas on the inside. The side edge of this element is considerably strengthened by this double web. In order to achieve relatively large-area column elements, both side edges of such column elements can also be connected to one another by gluing. Up to now, it was usual to manufacture them from a single sheet of cardboard, which has almost halved the size of the known elements, since cardboard sheets of any size are not available in technology.

Preferably, the glued adhesive tabs can be provided with the hooking devices. The actual visible areas of the billboard remain untouched by any devices, so that the full area is available for displays, whereas the hooking devices are advantageously arranged in an extremely stable area of the column element. By gluing the adhesive tabs together, a relatively stable anchoring option has been found.

For this reason, the hooking devices can also be formed by a slot that extends through both interconnected adhesive tabs and into which the elastic band or elastic cord is hooked. The double layer in this area ensures that the elastic band or elastic cord does not dig further into the material and is securely hooked in place.

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In order to achieve the best possible pre-tension, the elastic band or elastic cord can be stretched in a V-shape from one hooking slot to the corresponding hooking slot of the adjacent element, with the tip of the V essentially defining the hinge axis. The V-shaped arrangement extends the pre-tension path and the elastic band or elastic cord can be made longer, which brings a wide variety of advantages with regard to the hinge effect from the applied pre-tension force. The hooking process for the elastic band or elastic cord is also not very difficult due to the available length of this element. If only the vertical distance from hooking point to hooking point were available, there would be greater problems in this regard.

It is also possible, particularly at the top and bottom of the column element, to guide the elastic band or elastic cord over the edge; however, for wear-related reasons, one embodiment provides for at least one incision in the connecting area of the wall areas of a column element, through which the elastic band or elastic cord is guided in the direction of the adjacent column element. This also prevents the elastic band or elastic cord from becoming trapped between the floor and the bottom edge of the column elements when the poster wall is erected. It is also possible to provide relatively high poster walls with at least one or additional hinge(s) in their middle sections.

Due to the different lengths of the wall areas and the different design of the spreading devices, the most varied cross-sectional shapes can be achieved for the column elements. However, it is preferred if the shape and structure of the at least one spreading device means that the column elements are erected in the position of use to form a hollow body with a lens-shaped cross-section. Two wall sections of the same size, which are connected to one another at their side edges, are simply spread apart for this purpose, whereby they then automatically assume the curved shape. The design of the spreading device can be of a wide variety of forms. One possibility is that the wall area forming a rear side is provided with a punch to form an inwardly foldable spreading flap.

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which serves as a spreading element. The spreading flap is simply bent inwards from the plane of this wall area, so that it is immediately erected into a hollow body. No further manipulation is necessary and the spreading flap is held in position due to the pre-tension.

To achieve even larger poster walls, it can also be provided that the elements have a folding line running across their height, around which the wall areas can be folded in the non-use position. Such folding lines automatically stiffen in the use position due to the use of the spreading devices, so that accidental folding in the use position cannot occur. Folding along the folding line can only take place when the wall areas of the column elements or the poster elements are laid flat on top of one another. The size of the transport area in the non-use position is halved by using one folding line. Several folding lines can also be used.

Furthermore, the column elements can be constructed from at least one upper column part arranged above the folding line and at least one lower column part arranged below the folding line, which are connected to form the folding line via a hinge connection which is locked in the position of use. These column parts, which are made from cardboard cut-outs, are preferably glued together. The arrangement of the adhesive tabs can be cleverly chosen so that a folding line is securely formed. For example, a continuous, almost seamless connection could be made on the visible side, whereas on the back the connection is designed to be relatively open, so that, for example, four cardboard layers can be folded over or folded onto one another.

In the following, embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail. They show:

Fig. 1 a billboard made of three column elements in use position and perspective front view,

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Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the transfer of the billboard from Fig. 1 from a non-use position to a use position,

Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the hinge area of the billboard of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the upper hinge connection of a billboard from Fig. 1, with the front wall area omitted for better clarity,

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5a to 5d various arrangement options of the billboard from Fig. 1 in a plan view, and

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6a to 6e show different embodiments of a billboard, each in a perspective front view and a corresponding top view.

The large-format billboard 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises three vertical column elements 2 which are connected to one another at their vertical side edges 3, 4 along a hinge line 5. This means that the three column elements 2 are arranged next to one another, with only the middle column element 2 having a connection to the adjacent column element 2 at each side edge 3 and 4. The column elements 2 have a folding line 6 arranged essentially in the middle, which is, however, locked in the position of use shown in Fig. 1, so that folding cannot take place. Each column element 2 is divided by the folding line 6 into a lower column part 7 and an upper column part 8.

The billboard 1 is essentially rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. The individual column elements 2 and column parts 7 and 8 are also rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. Fig. 1 shows the front side 9 or actual poster side of the billboard 1, which can be printed or pasted on accordingly or used in some other way.

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From Fig. 3 it can be seen that each column part 7, 8 of the column element 2 is made from two cardboard blanks that are essentially rectangular. The first cardboard blank forms the front wall area 10 and the second cardboard blank forms the rear wall area 11. On their side edges 3 and 4, the wall areas 10 and 11 are each provided with an adhesive tab 12 and 13 that is folded inwards along a fold line 14, 15 into the interior of the column element 2. The adhesive tabs 12 and 13 run almost over the entire height of the column parts 7, 8 and have an essentially rectangular shape in the front view. The outer sides of the adhesive tabs 12 and 13 lie parallel to one another due to the folding along the fold line 14, 15 and are glued together by interposing adhesive, so that a relatively stable web 16 projects into the interior 17 of the column element 2. The two webs 16 of a column element 2 remain essentially in its middle plane.

As can also be seen from Fig. 3, the wall areas 10 and 11 are bent convexly outwards so that the entire column element has a substantially lens-shaped cross-section. This arrangement of the wall areas 10 and 11 in the use position is brought about by a spreading element 18 which can be folded into the interior space 17. If the spreading element 18 is ineffective in the non-use position, the wall areas 10 and 11 are arranged parallel to one another and substantially flat.

With reference to Fig. 2, it will now be explained how the poster wall shown in Fig. 1 is transferred from its flat, tightly folded non-use position to its upright use position.

The column elements 2 are folded both along the hinge lines 5 and along the folding lines 6, so that the non-use position shown in Fig. 2 at the top left is obtained. The area that this element takes up corresponds essentially to the area of a single column part 7 or 8. This means that essentially all column parts 7 and 8 lie parallel to one another, thereby achieving a wall area layer thickness of twelve times. In addition, there is the thickness of the adhesive tabs 12 and 13. First, this element is pulled apart along the hinge lines 5 so that it takes up a full width. Then along the folding line

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6 the upper column parts 8 are folded upwards. This maintains the entire size of the billboard 1.

The wall areas 11 on the back of the poster wall 2 are provided with indentations or cutouts in the form of a folding flap, which can be folded into the interior 17 as a spreading element 18 along an arcuate fold line 19. The connection between the spreading element 18 and the wall area 11 is maintained via the lower fold line 19, while all other side edges of the spreading element 18 are completely separated from the wall area 11 by a punching process. The upper edge 20 of the spreading element 18 is also arcuate, so that it fits optimally against the front wall area 10 in the position of use. A finger hole 21 can be provided on the upper edge 20 for better handling. Each column part 7 and 8 has such a spreading element 18 on its back. These expansion elements 18 are folded inwards along the fold line 19, whereby the column elements 2 take on the cross-sectional shape shown in Fig. 3 and can therefore stand independently, as shown in the bottom right of Fig. 2. Openings are then present on the back, which are created by folding in the expansion elements 18.

An embodiment of the hinge connection between the individual column elements 2 is described in Fig. 4. The upper hinge connection is shown as an example. This is analogously applied to all connections along the entire height of the column element 2.

The web 16 does not reach the total height of the associated column part 7, but ends at some distance from the upper edge of the billboard. This leaves a slot 22 between the two adjacent column elements 2. At some distance from the upper edge 23 of the web 16, a hooking slot 25 is incorporated, starting from its free longitudinal edge 24. This hooking slot 25 begins horizontally and describes a quarter-circle arc upwards and ends in an essentially circular hole 26 that extends completely horizontally through the web 16. At the same height and in the same way, there is a similar hooking slot 25 on the adjacent column element 2, which is arranged essentially in mirror symmetry with the hinge line 5 to that of the adjacent column element 2. In these

One end 27, 28 of a ring rubber is hooked into the hooking slot 25. On both sides of the web 16, a section of the rubber 29 then extends upwards and is then passed through the slot 22 and extends downwards again along the web 16 of the adjacent column element 2. The rubber 29 thus takes on a V-shape in the front view, which is upside down. The selection of the distances as well as the material and size of the rubber 29 can produce a suitable pre-tension. In the middle area 30, the rubber 29 rests on the base of the slot 22, which is formed by the connection between the adhesive tabs 12 and 13 and the associated wall areas 10 and 11. This extremely elastic hinge connection ensures, on the one hand, that the column elements 2 are automatically arranged close to one another in the position of use and, on the other hand, that the column elements 2 can be folded onto one another in the non-use position, even when relatively strong cardboard materials are used.

An identical hinge connection is provided at the base of the column elements 2, which is designed with mirror symmetry to the connection shown in Fig. 4 with respect to the folding line 6. In this case, the rubber 29 is also V-shaped, but not upside down. A similar connection can also be provided in the middle area of the billboard 1 near the folding line 6. It is possible to assign each column part 7 or 8 its own connection, so that there are a total of four hinge connections along the hinge line 5. In most cases, however, it is sufficient if only one column part 7 or 8 is provided with an additional connection. Due to the folding line, the web 16 is interrupted at this point anyway.

The folding line 6 is preferably designed in such a way that the front side of the poster wall 1 is continuous and is provided with a simple, usual folding line, whereas on the back side constructions with transverse slits and wider connecting tabs can be provided, which enable a corresponding folding down without further ado.

Fig. 5a to 5d show different installation options for the billboard from Fig. 1.

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Fig. 5a shows the arrangement of the three column elements 2 to form a uniform column in a kind of triangular shape with convex side walls. Fig. 5b shows a semicircular arrangement of the column elements 2. A zigzag arrangement or serpentine arrangement is shown in Fig. 5c. It can be seen from this that the hinge connections are extremely flexible and the column elements 2 can be bent in any direction. Fig. 5d shows the straight arrangement of the column element 2 in a plane, similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6a to 6e show different variants for a billboard 1.

Fig. 6a shows once again the already known arrangement with three identical column elements, which in the position of use assume a lens shape in cross section.

According to Fig. 6b, two identical column elements 2 are arranged next to one another, whereas a poster element 31 is connected to the right column element 2. The poster element 31 has the same height and width as the column elements 2 and therefore also stands on the floor. The folding line 6 is also extended to the same height so that the poster element 31 can also be folded down. However, the poster element consists of a simple cardboard cut-out or of cardboard cut-outs placed twice on top of one another, which is not provided with spreading elements and remains flat, as can be seen in the top view. Even with a straight arrangement, such a poster wall has sufficient stability due to the use of the column elements 2.

Fig. 6c shows a further variant in which a flat poster element 31 is used, which is arranged between two external column elements 2. The height and width of the poster element 31 also correspond essentially to the height and width of the column elements 2 and the folding line 6 is also continuous.

According to the variant in Fig. 6d, only a single column element 2 is provided, which is arranged in the middle between two flat or level poster elements 31. Here too, the stability due to the column element 2 is sufficient for a straight installation of the poster wall 1.

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Fig. 6e shows a further variant in which the column element 2 is on the outside and two flat poster elements 31 are connected to it. It should be noted that the poster elements 31 can also be column elements 2 whose spreading element 18 has not been folded inwards, whereby they retain this flat shape. For this reason, it would also be conceivable to produce a completely flat poster wall 1 from non-spread column elements 2. However, this would have to run slightly zigzag in order to have sufficient stability. All of the variants shown in Figs. 6a to 6e can also be produced from the poster wall 1 shown in Fig. 1 by folding the spreading elements 18 in and out accordingly.

From Fig. 5a to 5d and in particular Fig. 6a to 6e it can be seen that starting from a billboard 1 as shown in Fig. 1, a large number of different installation and presentation options arise that have not previously existed in this form. In particular, the partial non-spreading of column elements 2 is not previously known, since they do not stand on their own, but the arrangement by means of hinges offers sufficient stability even for such installation options. The billboard according to the invention is therefore extremely flexible in its use.

Claims (14)

1. Poster wall made of cardboard material, which can be transferred from a flat non-use position into an upright use position and comprises a column element ( 2 ) which comprises two wall areas ( 10 , 11 ) lying flat on top of one another in the non-use position and connected to one another at their side edges ( 3 , 4 ), and at least one spreading device ( 18 ) which can spread the wall areas ( 10 , 11 ) apart from one another in the use position at least in their middle section, characterized in that at least one poster element ( 2 , 31 ) is arranged next to the column element ( 2 ), and in that in each case a side edge ( 3 ) of one element ( 2 , 31 ) is connected to the side edge ( 3 , 4 ) of the other element ( 2 , 31 ) by a hinge connection for transferring the elements ( 2 , 31 ) from a flat, folded non-use position into a are connected to each other in an upright position of use. 2. Billboard according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one billboard element ( 31 ) is designed as a column element ( 2 ) with a spreading device ( 18 ). 3. Billboard according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hinge connection between the elements ( 2 , 31 ) is designed to be elastic. 4. Billboard according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the hinge connection comprises hooking devices ( 25 ) in the region of the side edges ( 3 , 4 ) of the elements ( 2 , 31 ) and elastic bands or cords ( 29 ) hooked therein, the elastic bands or cords ( 29 ) extending from one element ( 2 , 31 ) to the adjacent element ( 2 , 31 ). 5. Billboard according to claim 4, characterized in that the elastic bands or cords ( 29 ) are sufficiently pre-tensioned to hold the side edges (3, 4) of the elements ( 2 , 31 ) close to one another in the position of use. 6. Billboard according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each wall region ( 10 , 11 ) of the column elements ( 2 , 31 ) has an adhesive tab ( 12 , 13 ) running along its side edge ( 3 , 4 ), the outer sides of the adhesive tabs ( 12 , 13 ) of associated wall regions ( 10 , 11 ) being glued to one another and the adhesive tabs ( 12 , 13 ) being folded inwards between the wall regions ( 10 , 11 ). 7. Billboard according to claim 6, characterized in that the glued adhesive tabs ( 12 , 13 ) are provided with the hooking devices ( 25 ). 8. Billboard according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the hooking devices ( 25 ) are each formed by a slot which extends through both interconnected adhesive tabs ( 12 , 13 ) and in which the elastic band or the elastic cord ( 29 ) is hooked. 9. Billboard according to claim 8, characterized in that the elastic band or the elastic cord ( 29 ) is stretched in a V-shape from one hooking slot ( 25 ) to the associated hooking slot ( 25 ) of the adjacent element ( 2 , 31 ), the V-tip ( 30 ) essentially defining the hinge axis. 10. Billboard according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that at least one incision ( 22 ) is provided in the connecting region of the wall regions ( 10 , 11 ) of a column element ( 2 , 31 ), through which the elastic band or the elastic cord ( 29 ) is guided in the direction of the adjacent column element ( 2 , 31 ). 11. Billboard according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that due to the shape and the structure of the at least one spreading device ( 18 ), the column elements ( 2 , 31 ) are erected in the position of use to form a hollow body with a lens-shaped cross-section. 12. Billboard according to claim 11, characterized in that the wall region ( 11 ) forming a rear side is provided with a punching for forming an inwardly foldable spreading tab which serves as a spreading element ( 18 ). 13. Billboard according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the elements ( 2 , 31 ) have a folding line ( 6 ) running transversely to their vertical extension, around which the wall areas ( 10 , 11 ) can be folded down in the non-use position. 14. Billboard according to claim 13, characterized in that the column elements ( 2 , 31 ) are constructed from at least one upper column part ( 8 ) arranged above the folding line ( 6 ) and at least one lower column part ( 7 ) arranged below the folding line ( 6 ), which are connected to form the folding line ( 6 ) via a hinge connection which is locked in the position of use.