WO2004013832A1

WO2004013832A1 - Digital price indicator

Info

Publication number: WO2004013832A1
Application number: PCT/TR2002/000038
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fatih Dallar
Original assignee: GAMA REKLAM SAN VE TIC Ltd STI
Current assignee: GAMA REKLAM SAN VE TIC Ltd STI
Priority date: 2002-08-01
Filing date: 2002-08-01
Publication date: 2004-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2005-02-01
Also published as: AU2002321982A1

Abstract

A price indicator comprising a numeral display body (2) having segment cavities (3) representing seven segments of the numeral '8' and a transparent sheet (1) mounted behind the numeral display body (2) and covering means (4) movable for making any one of the seven segments of the segment cavities (3) obscure or unobscure characterized in that the covering means (4) are pivotably mounted to inner surface of the numeral display body (2) for each of the segment cavity (3), and in that the covering means (4) comprises plurality of magnets (5,6) drivable by an external magnet (11) and the magnets (5, 6) are associated with metal elements (7, 8) for both closed position corresponding to covering of respective segment cavity and open position corresponding to uncovering of respective segment cavity.

Description

DIGITAL PRICE INDICATOR

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a price indicator for mainly gas or petrol stations and particularly relates to pivotable covering means, preferably flaps, rotated by a magnetic-based pivot system so that transparent plate can be detected by an observer for having the numerical information of the price indicator.

Price indicators have been successfully practiced over the world by the major reason of fluctuating prices. One of the most evident application fields of the price indicators is the gas or petrol stations wherein prices are not stable and perhaps would not be stable ever due to global economic effects.

Notwithstanding the fact that the price indicators are intended to employ for displaying the prices itself, they may serve any information dissemination, particularly based upon numerical information for the public. This is the reason that the price indicators have relatively higher constructions for exhibiting the information to the observers.

Having high constructions, the price indicators may not be facilitated to change numerical information manually as desired. Since the basic structure of a price list comprises a background medium and a number pattern having different colors to be detected by the observers.

BACKGROUND ART

The present invention concerns a price indicator of the kind comprising a plate (or display body) having segment cavities representing seven segments of the numeral "8" and a transparent sheet mounted behind the plate and covering means movable for making any one of the seven segments of the segment cavities obscure or unobscure. Such a price indicator is known from EP 0 810 573 disclosing opaque plates associated with transparent areas forming the numeral "8". The opaque plates are movable through magnetic mechanism comprising metal chips which are welded to springs. Therefore the opaque plates are dri to make planar movement so that the transparent sheet behind the opaque p can be revealed or not as desired.

Another and perhaps more primitive, application is based upon manually replac preformed numerals by means of holders having magnets or rubber suction c at one end thereof.

More complicated proposals are those employing semi or full autom embodiments. For example, replacing of the numerals through electronic L technology is one of the recently encountered proposals.

While having several advantages of the embodiments currently in use such operation simplicity, automatic controllability and so on, known price indical have some evident disadvantages. For example, manually replaced p indicators requires considerable labor and are vulnerable in respect of extei effects including moisture, air dust etc., since a protective means can not located over the numbers for such a structure.

In the structure disclosed in EP 0 810 573 height difference between plate surf having the numeral and covering means is evidently a disadvantage that leac light reflection and resulting a color difference between plate surface and covei means. This color difference deprives the function of the price indicator.

As for the other proposals based on electronic and semi or full autom, technologies, as known a person skilled in the art, these kind of structures inevitably expensive and requires huge investment costs which is doubtful exploit thereof by every practitioner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a price indicator of a kind wh can be effectively operated without allowing light reflection and color differer between covering means (closing flaps) and plate (display body) surface. Another object of the present application is to provide a price indicator operatec magnetic force and enabling relatively simple and cost-effective embodiment.

In accordance with the invention, these objects are accomplished in a p indicator of the above mentioned kind in that the covering means, closing flap particular, are pivotably mounted to inner surface of the numeral plate, so ca numeral display body, for each of the segment cavity, and in that the closing ' comprise plurality of magnets drivable by an external magnet and associated v metal elements for both closed position corresponding to covering the segm cavity and open position corresponding to uncovering the segment cavity.

A price indicator formed in accordance with the present invention has a numbe advantages. Since the closing flap is pivoted by means of the force facilita through same poled magnets, i.e. external magnet and the magnets mountec the closing flap, there is no height difference between the numeral display bι surface and the covering means (closing flap) formed, therefore there wc neither light reflectance nor color difference occur between the numeral disp body and the covering means (closing flap). Furthermore, replacing the numb is so easy that it merely requires an external magnet having the same pole tha the magnets on the closing flap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become appar upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the appenc drawings wherein:

Figure 1A illustrates the perspective view of the price indicator wherein clos flaps are all in closed position in conjunction with the present invention.

Figure 1B illustrates the perspective view of the rear side of the numeral disp body wherein closing flaps are all in closed position in conjunction with the pres invention.

Figure 2A illustrates the perspective view of the price indicator wherein clos flaps are partly in closed position in conjunction with the present invention. Figure 2B illustrates the perspective view of the rear side of the numeral disr. body wherein closing flaps are partly in closed position in conjunction with present invention.

REFERENCE NUMBERS OF THE COMPONENTS

1 Transparent sheet

2 Numeral display body

3 Segment cavity

4 Closing flap

5 Closing magnet

6 Opening magnet

7 Closing magnet connecting rod

8 Opening magnet connecting rod

9 Magnet holder

10 Pivot bearing

11 External magnet

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1A illustrates the perspective view of the price indicator wherein clos flaps are all in closed position in conjunction with the present invention and Fig 1B illustrates the perspective view of the rear side of the numeral display be wherein closing flaps are all in closed position in conjunction with the pres invention.

According to the figures, there are 7 segment cavities (3) grooved on the nume display body (2) to form the numeral "8". Numeral display body (2) is the fr surface and can be detected by the observers. Closing flaps (4) are mountei the rear surface of the numeral display body (2) and can not be detected by observers when open. The number of closing flaps (4) is 7 for corresponding e of the segment cavities (3). Closing flaps (4) are mounted beside corresponding segment cavity (3) by appropriate attachment means like pivo hinges therefore defining a pivot bearing (10).

The external surface of the closing flaps (4) are dyed to same color with tha numeral display body (2), so when they are in the closed position, segnr cavities (3) do not allow the color that is induced by the transparent sheet Therefore they cannot be detected by an observer.

As seen in the Figure 1 B and 2B, the closing flaps (4) are pivotable around pivot bearing (10) axis. There are pluralities of magnets mounted to the clos flaps (4), preferably one closing magnet (5) is mounted to longitudinal edge wr is transversal to the edge of the pivot bearing (10) of the closing flaps (4) and other opening magnet (6) is mounted to a magnet holder (9) attached to the p bearing (10) axis.

In closed position, the closing magnet (5) is in contact with a closing mag connecting rod (7) placed on the rear side of the numeral display body (2). shifting the closing flaps (4) from closed position to open position, an extei magnet (11 ) is brought closer from external surface of the numeral display bι (2) to the closing magnet (5), the poles of the former and the latter are the sai so that the magnetic force induced provides detachment of the components closing magnet (5) and closing magnet connecting rod (7). Once th< components are detached, the closing flap (4) is pivoted around the axis of pivot bearing (10) therefore leading the closing flap (4) to open position.

In order to hold the closing flaps (4) in open position, an opening magnel mounted preferably to a magnet holder (9) which is attached to alongside of pivot bearing (10) axis. In the open position, opening magnet is in contact with opening magnet connecting rod (8) placed on the rear side of the numeral disp body (2). Figures 2A and 2B schematically illustrates formation to display "7", as the clos flaps (4) forming the number "7" are held in open position, the color provided the transparent sheet (1 ) is detected through the segment cavities (3) observers.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, numeral display body (2) thickn is 2-4 mm. and the material thereof is an opaque self-colored or folio cove plastic. The closing flap (4) thickness is 1-3 mm. and made of a plastic-ba material.

Preferably, the numeral display body (2) is coated by a sufficiently thin transpai covering so that the display would not be affected by the external conditions s as moisture, dust and so on.

The external magnet (11 ) is optionally engaged to an end of a stick hav sufficient length so that the external magnet (11 ) and the open and cloε magnets (5,6) can be associated.

Claims

1. A price indicator comprising a numeral display body (2) having segrr cavities (3) representing seven segments of the numeral "8" and a transpa sheet (1 ) mounted behind the numeral display body (2) and covering me

(4) movable for making any one of the seven segments of the segment cavi (3) obscure or unobscure characterized in that the covering means (4) pivotably mounted to inner surface of the numeral display body (2) for eac the segment cavity (3), and in that the covering means (4) comprises plur; of magnets (5,6) drivable by an external magnet (11 ) and the magnets (! are associated with metal elements (7,8) for both closed posi corresponding to covering of respective segment cavity and open posi corresponding to uncovering of respective segment cavity.

2. A price indicator as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the covei means (4) is a closing flap (4).

3. A price indicator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characteri in that a pivot bearing (10) bears the covering means (4) pivoting around axis of the pivot bearing (10).

4. A price indicator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characteri. in that in the closed position, a closing magnet (5) preferably mountec longitudinal edge which is transversal to the edge of the pivot bearing (10) i contact with a closing magnet connecting rod (7).

5. A price indicator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characteri; in that in the open position, an opening magnet (6) preferably mounted t magnet holder (9) attached to the pivot bearing (10) is in contact with opening magnet connecting rod (8).

6. A price indicator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characteri; in that the external magnet (11 ) has the same pole with that of the opening . closing magnets (6,5), whereby as the external magnet (11 ) is brought o to the magnets (6,5), the covering means (4) is pivoted around the axis of pivot bearing (10).

7. A price indicator as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characteri in that the numeral display body (2) is coated by an adequate thin transpai covering for insulating the numeral display body (2) from external effects s as dust, moisture etc.