GB2183885A - Display means with changeable indicia bearing panels - Google Patents

Abstract

An indicia display means, for example for variable pricing displays for fuel pumps, comprises first and second angular face members 12, a back plate 14 and indicia bearing panels, said angular face members each being affixed to said back plate and forming respectively with said backplate first and second channels 16,18 spaced from and opposing one another, one of said channels 16 being of greater depth than the other 18, such that the length (X) from the free edge 22 of said first face member to the base of said second channel 16 is greater than the length (Y) from the free edge 20 of the said second face member to the base of said first channel 18. The angular face members are C, U or L shaped channels affixed to the back plate, eg one arm of an L may be butt-joined to the back plate. Transverse members link the angular face members to define a plurality of viewing openings into which the indicia bearing panels fit. Each panel has one dimension less than length X but greater than length V, insertion of a panel involving placing the upper edge of a panel into the longer upper channel 16 until the lower edge of the panel will pass over edge 22. The panel and the remainder of the display means may be of rigid plastics, and one channel may include a drainage means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Indicia display means This invention relates to indicia display means, more particularly but not exclusively to variable pricing display means the like of which may be used for example on point of sales displays. The invention is expected to find particular application on petrol pumps where current legislation requires that the price of petrol be displayed, expressed as pence per litre, at the point where the choice of grade is made.

The price of petrol varies quite a lot. In the past that variation may have been on a dayto-day basis. There are signs now that pricing differentials within a day may be required, for example to enable the operators to vary the price of petrol either to even sales throughout the day or to compensate different operating costs at different times of the day. Most petrol pumps now have electronic displays showing the price and volume dispensed.

However the legislation nonethless requires a pricing display adjacent the grade selection panel of the pump. Until pump manufacturers can operate an electronic and automatically variable display at that point, operators are stuck with the problem of how to display prices there in a way that enables them to be easily and frequently changed and also in a way which is to a degree at least tamper proof.

Almost all petrol companies and site operators use self-adhesive stickers for this purpose. These are however far from ideal. They are not easy to change, are messy and attract dirt and can build up in layers when not removed. Furthermore the fact that each selfadhesive number can only be reused a limited number of times can cause problems if the operator finds himself without sufficient of a given number to indicate a certain price change.

The problem faced by the petrol supply industry is particularly acute but problems of a similar nature albeit to a lesser degree apply in a number of other trading locations, It is an object of the invention to produce an improved variable indicia display means of a type which will be particularly useful where the required indicia are pricing numerals for example petrol supply.

According to one aspect of the present invention indicia display means comprise first and second angular face members affixed to a backplate, the face members each forming with the backplate a channel spaced from and opposing the other, one channel being of greater depth than the other. The dimensions and location of the face members may be such that the length (X) from the free edge of one face member to the base of the other channel is greater than the length (Y) from the free edge of the other face member to the base of the first channel.

The indicia display means of the present invention requires the use of a plurality of indicia bearing panels each of which may.be retained by the angular face members between the face members and the backplate but may be inserted into that location between the free edges of the first and second face members.

This is preferably achieved by the panels each having one dimension which is less than the length X but greater than the length Y. With this arrangement a selected one of the plurality of panels may be inserted between the free edges of the angular members in to the deeper of the two channels which will thereby allow the panel to be moved towards the backplate and located in the shallower of the two channels and thereby retained between the face member and the backplate.

The panels are preferably substantially rectangular and bear indicia such as numbers which can in their entirety be viewed between the said free edges of the two angular face members. The dimension of the panel which is less than the length X and greater than the length Y may be the length of the longer or the shorter side of the rectangle.

The indicia concerned are preferably numerals or perhaps letters if required for further purposes. Each panel preferably carries one such indicia. The backplate may be a part of the display means in being formed integrally or otherwise affixed to the face members. In an alternative the backplate may be formed by the surface or substrate on which the indicia display means is required to be mounted. An example of this would be a part of the petrol pump head. Affixation of the face members to the backplate whether the backplate is part of the means or the substrate may be by any suitable expedient for example adhesion, magnetic screw or bolt or whatever.

The angular face members may be provided as C or U-shaped channels affixed by one of the arms of the C or U-shape to the backplate or alternatively they may be of a shape in cross-section resembling a L, the end of one of the arms of the L being butt joined to the backplate by any appropriate means. In either instance the angularity may be in the geomet rical sense of angularity, for example a right angle in cross-section or it may be rounded or rebated in section.

The free edge of the face members is that edge spaced from the backplate which in use will define the viewing opening through which the indicia may be inserted between the face members and the backplate and through which they may be seen by the person viewing the display.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention the angular face members are linked by transverse members thereby providing what may be regarded as the other sides of the viewing opening. In a particularly preferred form of the invention where the indicia bearing panels are rectangular, a rectangular viewing opening is provided by the said free edges of the face members and the said transverse members. The indicia display means of the present invention will preferably be constructed and arranged such that the free edges of the face members are located in a substantially horizontal plane and the transverse members in a substantially vertical plane. The vertical and horizontal directions will be determined by the normal attitude of the indicia to be viewed.

Where a rectangular viewing opening is provided in this way one of the rectangular dimensions is preferably substantially equivalent to the corresponding dimension of the said panels. In fact that dimension of the opening will have to be very slightly larger than corresponding dimension of the said panels so that the said panels may be fitted into the display means through the opening. The other rectangular dimension (a) is that which is required to be less than the length X but more than the length Y. Normally the dimension (a) will be the longer of the two rectangular dimensions and will normally be that which is in a substantially vertical plane. In this form the face member forming the deeper of the two channels should be the upper of the two.Insertion of a panel into the display means involves placing the upper edge of the panel into the upper channel to the point where the lower edge of the panel will pass over the free edge of the lower face member towards the backplate. Once the panel is in position in the plane behind the two free edges of the face members, the panel can be allowed to drop into the lower channel but its upper edge will still be covered from the viewer's viewpoint by the free edge of the upper face member thereby holding the panel in position. The panel may be removed for example by provision of a temporarily adhesive sucker of the like which can be pressed upon the panel whilst held in the display means so that the panel may be lifted to move its upper edge Eurther into the upper channel so that its lower edge may pass over the free edge of the lower channel, the panel thereby being removed.

The display means of the invention may comprise a plurality of the display means so far described or each display means may be provided with a plurality of locations for acceptance of a plurality of display panels.

In a further form of the invention drainage channels may be provided to prevent build-up within the display means of water for example from rain or spray.

According to a further aspect of the invention a method of indicia display comprises provision of first and second channels spaced from and opposing one another, the length (X) between the free edge of one channel and the base of the other channel being greater than the length (Y) between the free edge of the other channel and the base of the first channel, the method comprising insertion between the two channels of indicia display panels having one dimension (a) which is less than the length X and greater than the length Y.

In either form of the invention the back plate may be flat, curved or even angular.

The invention may be performed in a number of ways and one specific embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 shows the perspective view of display means according to the present invention; FIGURE 2 shows a plan view of the means according to Figure 1 but on a reduced scale; FIGURE 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; FIGURES 4 and 5 show the sequence of insertion of indicia panels into the display means of Figure 1; and FIGURES 6 and 7 show the sequence of removal of display panels from the display means of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown at 10 a pricing display aimed particularly at petrol pump pricing. The display 10 comprises a face plate 12 and a backing plate 14 fixed to the face place 12. The face plate 12 has three viewing openings A, B and C all of substantially equivalent dimensions. In the vicinity of the viewing openings A, B and C the backplate 14 and the face plate 12 form as will be seen from Figure 3 upper and lower channels 16 and 18 respectively.

The depth of the channels 16 and 18 in a plane substantially parallel to that of the back plate 14 will be seen from Figure 3 to differ.

The depth of the channel 18 is less than the depth of the channel 16. To look at it another way the distance previously referred to as X from the free edge 22 to the base of the channel 16 is greater than the distance Y from the free edge 20 to the base of the channel 18. The reason for this will become apparent below.

The indicia display means 10 is completed by transverse members such as 24 and 26.

The transverse members 24 will extend back to the backplate 14 to produce a closed edge as shown at 34. The transverse members 26 may either be spaced from the back surface 14 or may extend back to it as the case with the transverse members 24.

Finally the display means or frame 10 may comprise extended panels such as shown at 38 to bear descriptive matter advertising trade mark matter or whatever may be required at the location of use.

There will be seen at Figures 4 to 7 a number bearing panel 40. This is of substantially rigid material. It is as will be seen rectangular.

It has a dimension (b) which is marginally less than the distance between the edges of the transverse members 24 and 26 making up each of the display openings A, B and C. It has a dimension (a) which is somewhat greater than the distance between the free edges 20 and 22 of the display means. The dimensions A and B make up the rectangular shape of the panel 40.

In addition to the dimension (a) being greater than the distance between the free edges 20 and 22 it is necessary that the dimension (a) is less than the distance X between the point 22 and the base of the channel 16 and more than the distance Y from the point 20 to the base of the channel 18. The reason for this will be seen from a consideration of Figures 4 to 6. To insert the number panel 40 for example so that the number appears at viewing opening C the upper edge (not shown) of the panel 40 is inserted between the transverse members 24 and 26 and up into the channel 1 6. The relative dimensions of (a) X and Y will then permit the lower edge 42 of the panel 40 to be pushed past the free edge 22 so that the panel 40 lies against the backplate 14 as shown in Figure 5.The panel 40 is then moved downwards or allowed to drop so that its lower edge 42 rests within the channel 18. Its upper edge (not shown) will because of the dimensions (a), X and Y be located above the free edge 20 between it and the back plate 14 thereby holding the panel 40 in place.

When it is required to remove the panel 40 the reverse operation is followed as shown at Figures 6 and 7. A sucker 50 is placed upon the panel 40 and the panel thereby raised so that its upper edge (not shown) lifts further into the channel 16 until its lower edge 42 can pass the free edge 22 of the display means 10 and the panel 40 thereby removed as shown at Figure 7.

The display means 10 and the panels 40 may be made of any suitable material although it is anticipated that moulded substantially rigid plastic will be the most appropriate. The reverse side of the back plate 14 may be provided with adhesive materials for affixation of the display means to the substrate on which it is required to be used. Alternatively screw holes magnetic fixings or whatever may be provided The package as supplied to a user will comprise the display means 10 and a number of panels each bearing the numerals which will be required for pricing displays. Appropriate duplication of numbers to ensure that there are sufficient for any given price display must be arranged.

Claims (10)

1. Indicia display means comprising first and second angular face members affixed to a back plate, the angular face members each forming with the backplate a channel spaced from and opposing the other, one channel being of greater depth than the other.

2. Display means as claimed in claim 1 in which the dimensions and location of the angular face members are such that the length (X) from the free edge of one face member to the base of the other channel is greater than the length (Y) from the free edge of the other face member to the base of the first channel.

3. Display means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein an angular face member is provided as C or U-shaped channel affixed by one of the arms of the C or U-shape to the backplate.

4. Display means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein an angular face member's cross section resembles an L in shape, the end of one of the arms of the L being butt joined to the backplate.

5. Display means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the angular face members are linked by transverse members.

6. Display means as claimed in claim 5 where the free edges of the face members are located in a substantially horizontal plane and the transverse members in a substantially vertical plane.

7. Display means as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein an angular face member is provided with a drainage means.

8. Display means as claimed in any of the preceding claims comprising an indicia bearing panel substantially rectangular in shape, the said free edges of face members and transverse members providing a substantially rectangular viewing opening.

9. Display means as claimed in claim 8 in which said indicia bearing panel has one dimension which is less than the length X but greater than the length Y.

10. Indicia display means substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.