GB2118755A

GB2118755A - Vehicle-mounted display board

Info

Publication number: GB2118755A
Application number: GB08307593A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Ian Seiler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-04-20
Filing date: 1983-03-18
Publication date: 1983-11-02
Also published as: GB8307593D0; AU1305183A

Abstract

A display comprises a board 110 and, on each side of the board, a clamp 124 which is secured to a gutter of the vehicle with the board over the roof of the vehicle, and a stabilizing stay 114 which is engaged with the vehicle gutter at a point which is remote from the clamp 124. The board 110 is used to present information which may be related to the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display apparatus This invention relates to apparatus which is particularly suited for displaying information on a vehicle, for example sales information relating to the vehicle.

It is customary for motor dealers to attach boards bearing sales information to vehicles which are offered for sale. It is necessary for the boards to be adequately secured to the vehicles to prevent their inadvertent dislodgement, particularly in open car lots, for such movement of the boards is annoying and can lead to the vehicle being damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide display apparatus for the aforementioned purpose.

The invention provides display apparatus which includes a display board which in use is located over a roof of a vehicle and, at least at one of two opposed sides of the board, attachment means which is engageable with the vehicle at least at two spaced points thereby to secure the board to the vehicle.

Each attachment means may include at least two clamps which are engageable with the vehicle at the spaced points respectively. The clamps may be engageable with a gutter of the vehicle.

Each attachment means may include an elbow with limbs which are substantially horizontal and vertical respectively, the horizontal limb being engaged with the display board, and the clamps being secured to the vertical limb.

In a variation of the invention each attachment means includes an elongate member, one end of the member being engageable with the board and the other end including fixing means which is engageable with the vehicle at one of the two spaced points.

The fixing means on the elongate member or stay may be a suction cup which is secured to the roof of the vehicle or a clamp which is engaged with a gutter of the vehicle.

With this variation of the invention each attachment means may include a clamp which is engageable with a gutter of the vehicle at the other of the two spaced points.

The clamp may be mounted on an elbow which is engaged with the board and which is adjustable horizontally and vertically relatively to the board.

The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end view of one side of display apparatus according to a first form of the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of part of the apparatus of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of display apparatus according to a second form of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate one side of display apparatus according to a first form of the invention. The other side of the apparatus is not illustrated or described but it is to be understood that it may be and preferably is of a similar construction.

The display apparatus of the invention includes a crossbar 10 terminated at each of its ends by means of an upwardly extending spigot 12. Tubes 14 are attached to the underside of the crossbar 10 near each of its ends. An elbow 16 with a substantially horizontal limb 1 8 and a downwardly depending vertical limb 20 is engaged with the crossbar, again at each end, by sliding the horizontal limb 18 into the tube 14.

The elbow 16 may be secured in position by means of a lock nut 22. The downwardly depending vertical limb 20 has another tube 24 slidably engaged with it. This tube aiso carries a lock nut 26 so that it can be fixed in a desired position to the vertical limb 20. A hinge 28 has one of its flaps attached to the tube 24 and its other flap is secured to a large flap or plate 30.

Two spaced screws 32 are secured to the flap.

Each of the screws carries a wing nut 34 and a vertically slotted U-shaped clamp 36 is mounted on the screw. The lower edge of the flap 30 and the lower edges of the clamps 36 carry protective rubber strips 38.

In use of the display apparatus its lateral width is adjusted to suit a particular vehicle by slackening the lock nuts 22 so that the elbows 16 can be moved laterally relatively to the crossbar.

With the elbows at a suitable position the lock nuts 22 are tightened to secure the elbows firmly to the crossbar. A similar adjustment procedure can take place in respect of the tubes 24 which are movable along the vertical limbs 20 and are locked in suitable positions by means of the lock nuts 26. In this way the height of the crossbar 10 over the roof of the vehicle is adjustable.

The wing nuts 34 are slackened and the assembly is then placed over the roof of the vehicle with the lower edges of the flaps 30 resting inside the gutters on opposed sides of the vehicle roof. The clamps 36 are pushed upwardly to engage the underside of the gutters and the wing nuts 34 are tightened to fix the assembly securely in position.

A display board, not illustrated, which carries sales or other information is then engaged with the upwardly extending spigots 12 by slotting the spigots into vertical holes in, or suitable formations carried by, the display board.

The advantage of the display apparatus of the invention is that it is adjustable over a wide range to suit vehicles of different widths, and with differently sloping roofs. In addition, the height of the crossbar 10 above the roof is adjustable, within limits, by means of the sliding fit of the tubes 24 on the vertical limbs 20 of the elbows.

Since the display apparatus has an attachment device which includes two spaced clamping points at each of its ends, this being clearly illustrated in Figure 2, it is, when attached to a vehicle, particularly stable in all directions, including the direction which is perpendicular to the plane of the display board.

A similar stable construction is achieved with the display apparatus shown in Figure 3. In this embodiment of the invention the apparatus consists of a display board 110, and on each side of the board a gutter grip arrangement 112 and a stabilizer stay 114.

The board 110, in this embodiment, is framed in a square tube frame which carries two spaced square tube sockets 11 6 which each have a finger screw 117 for releasabiy clamping a square bar spigot 11 8 of the grip arrangement 112 in the socket. Vertical sockets 1 20 are located at the upper corners of the board. The sockets 11 6 could alternatively be hidden, as are the sockets 120, by using the lower corners of the tube frame to define the sockets.

The gutter grip arrangement 112 includes the bar 118, a rod 122, and a gutter grip 124. The gutter grip consists of a square tube 126 which carries a finger screw 128, a plate 130 and a Ushaped clamp 132 which may be locked over a vehicle gutter by means of a wing nut 134. The bottom edge of the plate 130 carries rubber or like cover pieces 136 for non-scratch location of the edge of the plate in the vehicle gutter.

Similarly the clamping edges of the clamp 132 are covered to prevent damage to the vehicle and the gutter grip.

The stay 114 consists of an elongate rod 140 which has an eyelet 141 at one end and a gutter grip 142 at the other. The gutter grip 142 operates in much the same manner as the grip 124. The rod is releasably and pivotally held to the board by means of a pin 144 which is passed through the eyelet 141 and located in the socket 120 in the upper corner of the board.

In use of the apparatus the board 110 with the bars 11 8 of the gutter grip arrangements 112 loosely located in the sockets 11 6 is held over a vehicle roof. The lower edges of the plates 1 30 are located in the two side gutters of the vehicle by slidably adjusting the bars 118 in the sockets 116. The gutter clamps 132 are located over screws which are fixed to and project from the plates 130 and are locked in position by means of the wing nuts 134.

The hight of the board over the vehicle roof is adjustable by loosening and again tightening the finger screws 128 once the rods 122 have correctly been positioned in the tube 126. The board is then horizontally positioned over the vehicle and locked in position by tightening the finger screws 117.

If the vehicle on which the board is located is to be driven or positioned in a windy location at least one stay 11 4, and preferably two of the stays, are engaged with the upper edges of the board by means of the pins 144 and the stays are fixed to the respective gutters of the vehicle by means of the grips 142, in a manner analogous to that described in connection with the grips 124, at a position well behind the board 110.

The pivotal adjustment of the stays relatively to the board means that the positions of the grips 142 are adjustable to suit different vehicle widths.

It is also possible to make the sockets 11 6 and the spigots 11 8 round in cross section, so that the inclination of the board 110 can be varied. The rods 140 may be deformable to accommodate such movement. Alternatively the rods could be secured to the board for pivotal movement in the vertical direction as well as the horizontal direction, or they could include a linkage which permits such movement.

The invention is not limited to the precise details as herein described and the gutter grip arrangements 124 could for example, particularly if the stays 114 are to be used with the board, be of any other suitable configuration. Additionally the stays 114 could be held to the vehicle roof by means of a rubber or like suction cup in place of the clamps 142.

The board of the display apparatus can be used for the display of any information, whether relating to the vehicle or not so related.

Claims

1. Display apparatus which includes a display board which in use is located over a roof of a vehicle and, at least at one of two opposed sides of the boards, attachment means which is engageable with the vehicle at least at two spaced points thereby to secure the board to the vehicle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each attachment means includes at least two clamps which are engageable with the vehicle at the spaced points respectively.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the clamps are engageable with a gutter of the vehicle.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 in which each attachment means includes a hinged flap on which the clamps are mounted.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which each attachment means includes an elbow with limbs which are substantially horizontal and vertical respectively, the horizontal limb being engaged with the display board, and the clamps being secured to the vertical limb.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each attachment means includes an elongate member, one end of the member being engageable with the board and the other end including fixing means which is engageable with the vehicle at one of the two spaced points.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the fixing means includes a suction cup which is securable to the roof of the vehicle.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the fixing means includes a clamp which is engageable with a gutter of the vehicle.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8 in which the elongate member is pivotal relatively to the board.

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9 in which each attachment means includes a clamp which is engageable with a gutter of the vehicle at the other of the two spaced points.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which each attachment means includes an elbow with limbs which are substantially horizontal and vertical respectively, the horizontal limb being engaged with the display board and the clamp being secured to the vertical limb.

1 2. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 11 in which the horizontal limb is adjustable laterally relatively to the board.

1 3. Apparatus according to any one of claims 5, 11 or 12 in which the vertical limb is adjustable in length to vary the height of the board over the roof of the vehicle.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each attachment means is adjustable laterally relatively to the board to accommodate vehicles of different widths, and vertically relatively to the board to vary the height of the board over the roof of the vehicle.

1 5. Display apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figure 3, of the accompanying drawings.