GB1563696A - Display construction - Google Patents

Description

(54) DISPLAY CONSTRUCTION (71) I, LYDER REIN SIMONSEN of 21 Portland Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1QQ a Norwegian Subject do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a modular display construction., such as can be used for the display of photographs, exhibition or advertising material.

Many prior proposals have been made for the construction of display assemblies and have included various combinations of metal, wood, peg board and other materials, for the frames and panels and many sorts of joints. The resulting constructions have been usually heavy and loose so that they tend to sway and rattle in draughts or when handled during erection or setting out a display.

According to the present invention a modular display construction comprises panel modules and connector members interslideable therewith wherein the panel modules have frame members at opposed sides of panels and the latter are secured by interposition of connector blocks between at least two panel modules with interengagement of frame member and connector member by a securement aperture in one of the members accommodating an end of the other member, some yet not all of the securement apertures having a circular transverse section of a diameter corresponding to the transverse dimensions of the end for interfitment of the panels in spaced apart side by side relationship by the connector blocks, the remaining securement apertures being of angular cross-section. whereby one panel module may be rotated, about two connector members relative to another panel module whereto said two connector members are non-rotatably engaged.

Each of the panel modules preferably has frame members engaged with at least two edges of a panel secured between the frame members having ends extending in codirectional parallel relationship in the plane of the panel at and normal to the ends of the panel and at least the major proportion of the connector blocks have two or more securement apertures.

The side frame members are preferably of a channel section, an edge of the panel being received in the channel of each side frame member, and the members may be of anodised aluminium alloy.

Two or more modules may be interconnected side by side by upper and lower connector blocks, e.g. of aluminium alloy material and further modules may be superposed on the upper connector blocks and interconnected by further intermediate connector blocks whereon a third set of modules may then be superposed and the cycle repeated. Connector blocks have securement apertures therethrough, of angular transverse section corresponding in shape and size with the panel frame member ends extended beyond the panels, to accommodate the frame member ends of adjacent modules in tandem.

The upper edge of the panel may be trimmed with a channel sectioned strip of plastics material extending between the side frame members.

The connecting members for interconnecting panel units may be plastics blocks each formed with two parallel apertures, one of which is formed for holding the side frame member rigidly relative to the block and is of a size and shape corresponding to that of the transverse section of the frame members, whilst the second aperture is curved, e.g. circular and dimensioned to allow a side frame member to rotate therein universally or through a desired angle so that one panel module may be set at any desired angle to the panel module beside it.

The apertures should be of substantially lesser width than the width of the blocks this facilitates support of superposed panels.

The connector blocks may be of three standard types - a cuboid with a single square aperture, a rectangular block with two square apertures and a rectangular block having one square and one round aperture blocks of each type being used for assembling a display.

Additional connector blocks may be provided with three holes; this may be achieved by adhering a block with a single hole to a block with two holes. This enables a panel module to be connected to two other panel units at each edge. The third hole may conform to the transverse section of the frame members, or may be curved, e.g.

circular, so that the third panel unit may be held rigid in relation to the first, or rotatably adjustable.

In a variant, all the holes may conform to the side frame cross-section so that employing square sectioned frames modules are constrained to interfitment in alignment or at right angles.

The panel member itself may be formed from a sheet of fire retardant polyurethane foam, and one surface is covered with kraft paper, while the other may be covered with vinyl sheet. Alternatively the panel may be of expanded polystyrene with card on each side, one face being covered with hessian and the other with flame retardant polyvinyl chloride sheet (p.v.c.) A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a modular display construction according to the invention Figures 2, 3 and 4 are perspective views of connector blocks for use in the display construction and Figure 5 shows examples of construction assembled for display.

As shown in the drawings, a display construction comprises a plurality of panel modules 1. Each panel module has two vertically extending side frame members 2, each formed from two sections of aluminium alloy strips, of square channel section.

The sections are joined by cuboid blocks 3 of wood, metal or plastics material- a polyamide or mahogany or aluminium may be used - having an aperture 7 of square transverse section and dimensions corresponding to the outer dimensions of the sections, extending centrally therethrough.

The ends of frame members 2 are inserted into the block 3, and the transverse section of the aperture 7 ensures that there is no relative rotation of the sections.

Superposed panel modules are interconnected by rectangular blocks 4 of aluminium alloy, each having two apertures, one 5, round and one 6, square. The upper ends of side members 2 of two adjacent modules are received each in one aperture respectively; ends of superposed modules are received in tandem each in a respective aperture 5, 6.

The block 4 is fixed in relation to the modules 1 which have their frame members 2 received in the square aperture 6, yet the other pair of modules is angularly adjustable as desired by rotation in the round aperture 5.

The panel modules 1 are thus flexibly and simply interconnected.

The panel modules 1 each have one or more panels 8, composed of a rectangular sheet of polystyrene, faced on each side with card, covered on one side with hessian and on the other with flame retardant p.v.c. the vertical edges of which are received in the channels of the side frame members 2.

A third block construction, not shown in the drawings, comprises a rectangular block as block 3, however, having two square apertures like 6, in place of one round and one square. This is of use for connecting modules 1 in alignment or at right angles, without scope for relative rotation of the units. In a full display the panel modules should be assembled with some angularity or otherwise unsupported display with all the modules in alignment would fall down.

The upper edge of the panel member 8 is received in an edging strip 9 of plastics material extruded to a channel section, extending between the side frame members 2.

The construction described is light, and can produce a rigid sway and rattle free structure up to 15 feet high. The construction also may include clip-on shelves (not shown) and strip lights 11 for securement at desired locations.

The panel surface is suitable for mounting of display materials such as photographs by means of adhesive tape.

By having one aperture shaped to prevent rotation of the side frame member unwanted vibration, which would otherwise arise were both frame members free to rotate in the block, is avoided.

It is an advantage of the invention that only several standardised connectors are required for assembly of panels rather than a multiplicity as previously.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A modular display construction comprising panel modules and connector members interslideable therewith wherein the panel modules have frame members at opposed sides of panels and the latter are secured by interposition of connector blocks between at least two panel modules with

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. desired angle to the panel module beside it. The apertures should be of substantially lesser width than the width of the blocks this facilitates support of superposed panels. The connector blocks may be of three standard types - a cuboid with a single square aperture, a rectangular block with two square apertures and a rectangular block having one square and one round aperture blocks of each type being used for assembling a display. Additional connector blocks may be provided with three holes; this may be achieved by adhering a block with a single hole to a block with two holes. This enables a panel module to be connected to two other panel units at each edge. The third hole may conform to the transverse section of the frame members, or may be curved, e.g. circular, so that the third panel unit may be held rigid in relation to the first, or rotatably adjustable. In a variant, all the holes may conform to the side frame cross-section so that employing square sectioned frames modules are constrained to interfitment in alignment or at right angles. The panel member itself may be formed from a sheet of fire retardant polyurethane foam, and one surface is covered with kraft paper, while the other may be covered with vinyl sheet. Alternatively the panel may be of expanded polystyrene with card on each side, one face being covered with hessian and the other with flame retardant polyvinyl chloride sheet (p.v.c.) A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a modular display construction according to the invention Figures 2, 3 and 4 are perspective views of connector blocks for use in the display construction and Figure 5 shows examples of construction assembled for display. As shown in the drawings, a display construction comprises a plurality of panel modules 1. Each panel module has two vertically extending side frame members 2, each formed from two sections of aluminium alloy strips, of square channel section. The sections are joined by cuboid blocks 3 of wood, metal or plastics material- a polyamide or mahogany or aluminium may be used - having an aperture 7 of square transverse section and dimensions corresponding to the outer dimensions of the sections, extending centrally therethrough. The ends of frame members 2 are inserted into the block 3, and the transverse section of the aperture 7 ensures that there is no relative rotation of the sections. Superposed panel modules are interconnected by rectangular blocks 4 of aluminium alloy, each having two apertures, one 5, round and one 6, square. The upper ends of side members 2 of two adjacent modules are received each in one aperture respectively; ends of superposed modules are received in tandem each in a respective aperture 5, 6. The block 4 is fixed in relation to the modules 1 which have their frame members 2 received in the square aperture 6, yet the other pair of modules is angularly adjustable as desired by rotation in the round aperture 5. The panel modules 1 are thus flexibly and simply interconnected. The panel modules 1 each have one or more panels 8, composed of a rectangular sheet of polystyrene, faced on each side with card, covered on one side with hessian and on the other with flame retardant p.v.c. the vertical edges of which are received in the channels of the side frame members 2. A third block construction, not shown in the drawings, comprises a rectangular block as block 3, however, having two square apertures like 6, in place of one round and one square. This is of use for connecting modules 1 in alignment or at right angles, without scope for relative rotation of the units. In a full display the panel modules should be assembled with some angularity or otherwise unsupported display with all the modules in alignment would fall down. The upper edge of the panel member 8 is received in an edging strip 9 of plastics material extruded to a channel section, extending between the side frame members 2. The construction described is light, and can produce a rigid sway and rattle free structure up to 15 feet high. The construction also may include clip-on shelves (not shown) and strip lights 11 for securement at desired locations. The panel surface is suitable for mounting of display materials such as photographs by means of adhesive tape. By having one aperture shaped to prevent rotation of the side frame member unwanted vibration, which would otherwise arise were both frame members free to rotate in the block, is avoided. It is an advantage of the invention that only several standardised connectors are required for assembly of panels rather than a multiplicity as previously. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A modular display construction comprising panel modules and connector members interslideable therewith wherein the panel modules have frame members at opposed sides of panels and the latter are secured by interposition of connector blocks between at least two panel modules with

inter-engagement of frame member and connector member by a securement aperture in one of the members accommodating an end of the other member, some yet not all of the securement apertures having a circular transverse section of a diameter corresponding to the transverse dimensions of the end for interfitment of the panels in spaced apart side by side relationship by the connector blocks, the remaining securement apertures being of angular cross-section, whereby one panel module may be rotated, about two connector members relative to another panel module whereto said two connector members are non-rotatably engaged.

2. A display construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein the panel modules each have channel section frame members engaged on at least two edges of a panel secured between the frame members whose ends extend in co-directional parallel relationship in the plane of the panel at and normal to the ends of the panel and at least the major proportion of the connector blocks have two or more securement apertures.

3. A display construction as claimed in claims 1 or 2 having apertured connector blocks wherein the major proportion of the securement apertures are contained by blocks each having at least two securement apertures at least one whereof has an angular transverse section corresponding in shape and size with the ends of the panel frame members whose ends extend beyond the panels for fitting in the securement apertures.

4. A display construction as claimed in claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein at least some securement apertures extend through sets of the connector blocks wherein they are contained for interfitment iji tandem of panel frame member ends whereby panel modules are securable in superposed relationship.

5. A display construction as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein each securement aperture in a major proportion of the connector blocks is of angular transverse section corresponding in shape and size with the cross section of the ends of the panel frame members.

6. A display construction as claimed in any of the preceding claims including single apertured block connectors for interfitment at the sides of the modular display.

7. A display construction according to any of the preceding claims wherein the panel frame members are formed of material having a channel section.

8. A display construction according to any of the preceding claims wherein shelves and/or strip lamps are included for securement with the panel modules at desired locations.

9. A modular display constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.