GB2160691A

GB2160691A - A display sign

Info

Publication number: GB2160691A
Application number: GB08415551A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Watson Bruce Corsie
Original assignee: CLARKES SCREEN Ltd
Current assignee: CLARKES SCREEN Ltd
Priority date: 1984-06-19
Filing date: 1984-06-19
Publication date: 1985-12-24
Also published as: GB8415551D0; GB2160691B

Abstract

An 'open/closed' sign for a shop has a front and back layers (10,11 Figs. 2 & 3), a spacer member 12 separating them, and a slidable display member 20 trapped between them. This display member is moved by a tab 21 which lies between the layers (10,11) but can be accessed by flexing one layer up. The workings are not visible, and the two faces can carry an advertisement. As shown, a polythene sign is stuck to a shop window and a flap 16 lifted to manipulate the member 20 which may be deformed for frictional sliding. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A display sign This invention relates to a display sign for use preferably in Shops.

Many shops have signs within the front door and visible from outside which announce whether the shop is "open" or "closed". The signs may or may not carry advertising, but normally are open to unauthorised adjustment, for example by small children. The invention aims to provide an improved display sign which is cheap, easy to position and adjust, attractive for advertising, and less likely to be tampered with.

According to the invention, there is provided a display sign comprising front and back layers, a spacer element defining a space between the layers, and a slide member located within the space having a manipulation means accessible by lifting a portion of the front and/or back layer, movement of the slide member affecting the display carried by the sign. The sign will normally be "closed/ open". The front and back layers can carry attractive advertising, and because the manipulation means is not immediately visible, it is less likely to be tampered with by children.

In order that the invention shall be clearly understood, an exemplary embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows an overall view of a display sign according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a section on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows a section on the line 111-Ill in Fig. 1.

The display sign may have any desired shape, for example as seen in Fig. 1 that of a rectangle carrying a printed message, with a representation of a beverage-filled cup at its lower portion. It is flat to lie close against the glass of a shop window and may carry an advertising message on both its front and back sides. It is constructed of a front and a back layer 10, 11, these two layers being of identical shape and size.Between these layers lies a spacer element 1 2 which in this instance forms a border around the upper rectangular part 1 3 of the sign, leaving the main part at the centre open and defining thereby a flat,'rectangular space 1 4. The spacer element is not continuous, but is interrupted to form an aperture 1 5 at the point where the portion 1 3 is continued downwards by the extension 16. The front and back layers 10, 11 and the spacer element are glued firmly together.

Within the open space 1 4 is located a slide member 20 which itself consists of a rectangular panel having a manipulating tag 21 which projects through the aperture 1 5. The panel 20 carries the words "OPEN" and "CLOSED" one above the other, and depending upon the position of the slide member one or other word is dispiayed in an aperture 22 in the front layer 10 of the sign. It is preferred that the word "CLOSED" appears only when the slide member is moved upwards, since there is then a natural tendency for the sign to display "open" and not the reverse. Thus, customers are less likely to be misled into believing the shop is closed.

Figs. 2 and 3 show, with a slightly exaggerated thickness for clarity, the construction and indicates that the sign can be extremely flat.

In fact, the sign is preferably made by stamping the necessary parts from a single sheet of polythene about 0.5 mm thick. The front and back surfaces can be screen printed with any desired advertising and the front surface additionally provided with an adhesive layer, covered by a release paper, which allows the sign to be simply stuck on the inside surface of a shop window. In order to manipulate the sign, with the sign stuck in a window, the back layer of the downward extension 1 6 can be flexed up to reveal the manipulating tag 21. However, it is not immediately apparent to a child how the sign is manipulated, so there is less likelihood of the sign being altered mischievously. Moreover, since the workings are not visible, the sign represents an attractive addition to the shop furnishings.

In order further to secure the workings, the slide member 20 may be provided at its top or bottom with a deformation from the flat plane of the material, for example by creasing the sheet along one edge before it is inserted in the sign. Such a deformation causes friction within the space 14 and ensures that the sign cannot be altered without the specific application of a certain force.

Because only a single stamping is required, the sign is cheap to produce and its assembly is also simpler than may prior art signs.

A suitable sheet material may be used.

1. A display sign comprising front and back layers, a spacer element defining a space between the layers, and a slide member located within the space having a manipulation means accessible by lifting a portion of the front and/or back layer, movement of the slide member affecting the display carried by the sign.

2. A display sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer element has the shape of a hollow border, leaving said space within it.

3. A display sign as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein 'the front and back layers and the spacer element are glued together.

4. A display sign as claimed in claim 2 wherein the border is broken for part of its length, and the manipulation means being an integral extension of the slide member extends through the break in the border.

5. A display sign as claimed in any pre

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A display sign This invention relates to a display sign for use preferably in Shops. Many shops have signs within the front door and visible from outside which announce whether the shop is "open" or "closed". The signs may or may not carry advertising, but normally are open to unauthorised adjustment, for example by small children. The invention aims to provide an improved display sign which is cheap, easy to position and adjust, attractive for advertising, and less likely to be tampered with. According to the invention, there is provided a display sign comprising front and back layers, a spacer element defining a space between the layers, and a slide member located within the space having a manipulation means accessible by lifting a portion of the front and/or back layer, movement of the slide member affecting the display carried by the sign. The sign will normally be "closed/ open". The front and back layers can carry attractive advertising, and because the manipulation means is not immediately visible, it is less likely to be tampered with by children. In order that the invention shall be clearly understood, an exemplary embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows an overall view of a display sign according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a section on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows a section on the line 111-Ill in Fig. 1. The display sign may have any desired shape, for example as seen in Fig. 1 that of a rectangle carrying a printed message, with a representation of a beverage-filled cup at its lower portion. It is flat to lie close against the glass of a shop window and may carry an advertising message on both its front and back sides. It is constructed of a front and a back layer 10, 11, these two layers being of identical shape and size.Between these layers lies a spacer element 1 2 which in this instance forms a border around the upper rectangular part 1 3 of the sign, leaving the main part at the centre open and defining thereby a flat,'rectangular space 1 4. The spacer element is not continuous, but is interrupted to form an aperture 1 5 at the point where the portion 1 3 is continued downwards by the extension 16. The front and back layers 10, 11 and the spacer element are glued firmly together. Within the open space 1 4 is located a slide member 20 which itself consists of a rectangular panel having a manipulating tag 21 which projects through the aperture 1 5. The panel 20 carries the words "OPEN" and "CLOSED" one above the other, and depending upon the position of the slide member one or other word is dispiayed in an aperture 22 in the front layer 10 of the sign. It is preferred that the word "CLOSED" appears only when the slide member is moved upwards, since there is then a natural tendency for the sign to display "open" and not the reverse. Thus, customers are less likely to be misled into believing the shop is closed. Figs. 2 and 3 show, with a slightly exaggerated thickness for clarity, the construction and indicates that the sign can be extremely flat. In fact, the sign is preferably made by stamping the necessary parts from a single sheet of polythene about 0.5 mm thick. The front and back surfaces can be screen printed with any desired advertising and the front surface additionally provided with an adhesive layer, covered by a release paper, which allows the sign to be simply stuck on the inside surface of a shop window. In order to manipulate the sign, with the sign stuck in a window, the back layer of the downward extension 1 6 can be flexed up to reveal the manipulating tag 21. However, it is not immediately apparent to a child how the sign is manipulated, so there is less likelihood of the sign being altered mischievously. Moreover, since the workings are not visible, the sign represents an attractive addition to the shop furnishings. In order further to secure the workings, the slide member 20 may be provided at its top or bottom with a deformation from the flat plane of the material, for example by creasing the sheet along one edge before it is inserted in the sign. Such a deformation causes friction within the space 14 and ensures that the sign cannot be altered without the specific application of a certain force. Because only a single stamping is required, the sign is cheap to produce and its assembly is also simpler than may prior art signs. A suitable sheet material may be used. CLAIMS

5. A display sign as claimed in any pre ceding claim wherein the front layer is apertured to reveal a display on the slide member.

6. A display sign as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the front and back layers, the spacer element and the slide member are all formed from a uniform thickness of polythene sheet.

7. A display sign as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the side of the sign which has the variable display has a selfadhesive layer covered by a release sheet.

8. A display sign as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the slide member is deformed from a plane so as to introduce frictional engagement to hold the slide member within said space.

9. A display sign substantially as herein described in the accompanying drawings.