IL160334A - Display device - Google Patents

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE DISPLAY DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a display device, typically for use at outdoor and sports events.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various display devices and structures are in use to display advertising or promotional information. One such structure comprises a pair of collapsible planar sides carrying advertising material, arranged to define an A-frame so as to allow the structure to be self-supporting. A disadvantage of these structures is that the angle of visual exposure of the planar side carrying the advertising material is limited, so that a person has to be positioned substantially in front of the structure to view the advertising material.

Requirements for display devices are that the display devices should be easy and quick to erect, as well as that they should be compact to ensure that the display device does not require special transport arrangements.

The current invention provides for an alternate display device that aims to address the above shortcomings and meet the above requirements.

One prior art document, US 5,619,816 shows a free standing display frame which comprises a pair of flexible plastic panels. These panels receive, in use, a sheet between them. Due to the use of core sections at the back of the flexible plastic panels the panels are flexed to a curved state in which the frame can sit upright on a horizontal surface. It is appreciated that a similar design could be used for a display device. Similarly, French patent no. 2,725,543 discloses a display stand for a display panel made from a strip of cloth or paper with a rod at each end. The display stand further comprises a heavy base and a flexible bar for attaching cords on the two ends of the display panel, which the flexible bar being curved and set at an angle to the vertical, in order to hold the display panel under tension. Neither of these two prior art documents disclose a display panel which is easy and quick to erect, but compact when folded down in order not to require special transport arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a display device comprising: at least one display panel having an upper region, a lower region and two side regions, the display panel carrying information; and a tensioner that extends between the two side regions of the at least one display panel, with the tensioner, in use, being arranged to draw the two side regions towards each other when tensioned so as to define a curved display.

Preferably the display panel further comprises a flexible resilient frame member defining a loop, the frame member being attached along an outer edge of the display panel.

Conveniently, in a first embodiment of the invention, the display device further comprises: a base member being connectable to the lower region of the at least one display panel; and an elongate support being connectable to the upper region of the at least one display panel, -3- wherein the at least one display panel is supported, in use, in an upright position by the base and the elongate support when connected thereto.

Typically, the upper region of the at least one display panel includes a top sleeve for receiving a top stiffening member, the top stiffening member having a support connector attachable to the upper region of the elongate support.

Conveniently the lower region of the at least one display panel includes a bottom sleeve for receiving a bottom stiffening member, the bottom stiffening member having a base connector attachable to the base member.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the display device comprises: two display panels, each display panel having an upper region, a lower region and two side regions, wherein the two display panels are attached or attachable to each other at their respective side regions; and a tensioner that extends between the two side regions of at least one of the two display panels, so that the tensioner, in use, is arranged to draw the two side regions towards each other when tensioned so that each display panel defines a curved display that is spaced apart from the other, so as to define a self-supporting structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to better understand the present invention and appreciate its practical applications, the following Figures are attached and references herein. Like components are denoted by like reference numerals.

It should be noted that the figures are given as examples and preferred embodiments only and in no way limit the scope of the present invention as defined in the appending Description and Claims.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the components of a display device according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention in its erected form; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment as shown in Figure 2, taken along line 3-3; Figure 4 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention, · in its erected form; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention, in its erected form.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to Figures 1 to 3, a first embodiment of a display or advertising device 10 is shown, comprising a display panel 12 and a tensioner 14. The display panel 12 is typically manufactured from a canvas material that carries advertising or promotional information. The display panel 12 has an upper region 16, a lower region 18 and two side regions 20 and 22. The upper region 16 and lower region 18 of the display panel 12 are longer than the two side regions 20. 22, giving the display panel 12 an elongate form.

The tensioner 14 comprises a string 24 and a tensioning plate 26. The tensioning plate 26 defines three apertures. The tensioner 14 is attachable to the display panel 12 by securing one end of the string 24 to one aperture of the tensioning plate 26. The string 24 is then fed through a loop 28 attached to side region 22 of the display panel 12, fed through the other two apertures in the tensioning plate 26, with the other end of the string 24 then being secured to another loop 30 attached to the other side region 20 of the display panel 12.

The display device 10 further comprises a base member 32 that has an elongate upper surface, and side surfaces. The base member 32 is placed on a surface on which the display device 10 will be erected. The elongate upper surface of the base member 32 has a receiving bush 34 to receive an elongate support 36. Once placed in the bush 34, the elongate support 36 will extend substantially vertically from the base member 32. It should be appreciated that the base member 32 and the elongate support 36 may be manufactured as a single support member, typically having an L-shape or an inverted T-shape, defining a base portion and a vertically extending portion.

The display panel 12 further comprises a flexible resilient frame member 38, which is located in a sleeve 40 connected to the outer edge of the display panel 12. The resilient frame member 38 forms a loop that supports the material from which the display panel 12 is made. The resilient frame member 38 further allows the display panel 12 to be collapsed into a number of smaller overlapping loops by twisting and folding the resilient frame member 38, as is well known in the art.

Attached to the upper region of the display device 10 is a top sleeve 42 that receives a top stiffening member 44. This top stiffening member 44 has a support connector 46 attached to it. The top sleeve 42 has an opening 48 in the middle of it, allowing the support connector 46 to extend from the top sleeve 42. The support connector 46 has an L-shaped tongue 50 that slides into an upper region of the elongate support 36.

Attached to the lower region of the display device 10 is a bottom sleeve 52 that receives a bottom stiffening member 54. The bottom stiffening member 54 has a base connector 56 attached to it. The bottom sleeve 52 has an opening 58 in the middle of it, allowing the base connector 56 to extend beyond the bottom sleeve 52. The base connector 56 has a wide L-shaped tongue 60 that forms a receiving cavity 62 with the one side of the bottom stiffening member 54. This front region of the base member 32 is secured to the display panel 12 by sliding the front region of the base member 32 over the wide L-shaped tongue 60 and into the receiving cavity 62.

Although the top stiffening member 44 and the bottom stiffening member 54 are both shown in the drawings as being straight, it should be appreciated that they can also be curved.

To erect the display device 10, the top stiffening member 44 is inserted into the top sleeve 42 and the bottom stiffening member 54 is inserted into the bottom sleeve member 52. The elongate support 36 is inserted into the bush 34 of the base member 32, while the front region of the base member 32 is slid into the cavity 62 formed by the base connector 56 and the bottom stiffening member 54. The support connector 46 is connected to the upper region of the elongate support 36. The elongate support 36 is of such a length that the display panel 12 is in an extended open position. The tensioner 14 is now tensioned by moving the tensioning plate 26 along the string 24 toward the loop 30 where the one region of the string 24 has been attached. This movement is done by feeding the string 24 through the tensioning plate 26. The tensioning of the tensioner 14 will cause the two side regions of the display panel 12 to be drawn towards each other so as to define a curved display panel. This configuration provides a stable base comprising the base member 32 and the lower region 18 surface of the display panel 12 on which the display device 10 will rest.

Turning now to Figures 4 and 5 a second embodiment of the invention is shown. In this embodiment the display device 10 comprises two display panels 12a and 12b, both carrying advertising or promotional information on their outer surfaces. Each of these display panels 12a, 12b has an upper region 16a, 16b, a lower region 18a, 18b and two side regions 20, 22. The two display panels 12a and 12b are attached or attachable to each other at their side regions. A tensioner 14 is attached or attachable between the two -8- attached or attachable side regions of one or both of the two display panels 12a, 12b.

In this embodiment the display device 10 does not comprise a base member or an elongate support. The base surface of this embodiment is formed by attaching the tensioner 14 to the display panels 12a, 12b as described above. When the display device 10 is erected, the tensioner 14 is tensioned, again as described above. This tensioning causes the side regions 20, 22 of the display panels to be drawn inwards towards each other, the expanded or spaced-apart lower end regions of the display panels 12a, 12b providing a stable base on which the display device 0 will rest once erected. In cross-section, the display device 10 has a substantially elliptical shape once erected.

This display device has the advantage that it provides for a greater angle of visual exposure of the information carried on the display panels. This ensures that a display device according to the present invention will draw more attention and will be more visible to a larger number of people. Also, the display device according to the present invention is easy and quick to erect, as well as being easily and compactly transported and stored.

It should be clear that the description of the embodiments and attached Figures set forth in this specification serves only for a better understanding of the invention, without limiting its scope as covered by the following Claims.

It should also be clear that a person skilled in the art, after reading the present specification can make adjustments or amendments to the attached Figures and above described embodiments that would still be covered by the following Claims.

Claims (1)

1. A display device comprising: at least one display panel having an upper region, a lower region and two side regions, the at least one display panel carrying information, with each display panel further comprising a flexible resilient frame member defining a loop, the frame member being attached to the display panel along an outer edge of the display panel, whereby the flexible resilient frame member allows the display panel to be collapsable into a number of smaller overlapping loops by twisting and folding the resilient frame member; and a tensioner that extends between the two side regions of the at least one display panel, with the tensioner, in use, being arranged to draw the two side regions towards each other when tensioned so as to define a curved display. A display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display device further comprises: a base member being connectable to the lower region of the at least one display panel; and an elongate support being connectable to the upper region of the at least one display panel, wherein the at least one display panel is supported, in use, in an upright position by the base and the elongate support when connected thereto. -10- A display device according to claim 2, wherein the upper region of the at least one display panel includes a top sleeve for receiving a top stiffening member, the top stiffening member having a support connector that is attachable to the elongate support. A display device according to either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the lower region of the at least one display panel includes a bottom sleeve for receiving a bottom stiffening member, the bottom stiffening member having a base connector that is attachable to the base member. A display device according to any one of the preceding claims, the display device comprising two display panels, each display panel having an upper region, a lower region and two side regions, wherein the two display panels are attached or attachable to each other at their respective side regions, with the tensioner, which extends between the two side regions of at least one of the two display panels, in use, being arranged to draw the two side regions towards each other when tensioned so that each display panel defines a curved display that is spaced apart from the other, so as to define a self-supporting structure. A display device substantially as herein described and illustrated. Gold -