DISPLAY DEVICES
United States Patent 3601917
Display devices particularly useful to convey periodically changing information are disclosed. The new display devices include a rigid baseboard member and corrugated panel sections removably mounted thereon by hooked and looped nylon fastening strips. The corrugated panels are adapted to support removable characters.
US Patent References:
Sign
Sears - June 1930 - 1766362
Letter or symbol
Maughlin - February 1935 - 1990833
Chart device and tab holder therefor
Seep - April 1951 - 2547049
Card mounting and display apparatus
Stanos - June 1967 - 3327419
REMOVABLE IDENTIFYING CHARACTERS FOR CLOTHING
Culmone - December 1969 - 3484974
Sign
Sears - June 1930 - 1766362
Letter or symbol
Maughlin - February 1935 - 1990833
Chart device and tab holder therefor
Seep - April 1951 - 2547049
Card mounting and display apparatus
Stanos - June 1967 - 3327419
REMOVABLE IDENTIFYING CHARACTERS FOR CLOTHING
Culmone - December 1969 - 3484974
Application Number:
04/838807
Publication Date:
08/31/1971
Filing Date:
07/03/1969
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
International Patterns, Inc. (Carles Place, L.I., NY)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
428/100
International Classes:
G09F7/12; G09F7/02; G09F7/06
Field of Search:
40/10,140,2A,142,143,63,64
Primary Examiner:
Michell, Robert W.
Assistant Examiner:
Contreras, Wenceslao J.
Claims:
I claim
1. A device for displaying arrays of symbols having rearwardly projecting tabs, comprising
2. The display device of claim 1, wherein
3. The display device of claim 1, wherein
4. The display device of claim 3, wherein
5. The display device of claim 1, wherein
1. A device for displaying arrays of symbols having rearwardly projecting tabs, comprising
2. The display device of claim 1, wherein
3. The display device of claim 1, wherein
4. The display device of claim 3, wherein
5. The display device of claim 1, wherein
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to display devices for communicating information. More specifically, the invention provides a display board with easily removable and interchangeable panels which in turn, support and releasably retain indicia such as letter and number characters.
Characteristically, display devices for conveying periodically changing information to the public, such as menu boards utilized in cafeterias and luncheonettes, have been a nuisance to maintain, requiring a substantial amount of time to effect a change of message. This is particularly true in the food industry where menu display boards must typically be changed three times a day; once for every meal served. Within the food industry, menu changeovers are considered a tedious chore, consuming a disproportionate share of available time in a nonproductive endeavor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The display boards of the invention are lightweight, portable and very attractive to the eye. Typically, the new display boards include a rigid plastic base member that is large enough to display all the required information. A number of panels, each supporting a grouping of characters that are removable and interchangeable, are temporarily mounted on the base member in a manner such that each of the indicia bearing panels can be easily and individually removed from the base member and replaced with another, similar, indicia bearing panel. Further, the characters composing the indicia on each panel may also be easily removed and replaced with other characters.
In accordance with the invention, each individual panel may be set up with a different given piece of information that is to be used periodically. To change the message on the new display board, it is necessary simply to replace the panels on the board containing the old message with prearranged panels containing the new message, as opposed to the existing procedure of replacing each individual character making up the old message .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device embodying the principles of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a removable panel embodying the principles of the invention, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a display device, generally indicated as 10, is shown. The illustrated display device includes a plurality of corrugated panels 11, which are temporarily and replaceably joined to a rigid baseboard 12 by securing means 13. Characters 14, which may be any form of lettering or numbers, are removably retained within the grooves 15 of the corrugated panels 11.
In accordance with the invention, panels 11 have an accordion or corrugated structure, most clearly shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, the panels 11 are constructed of a lightweight, flexible plastic material and have a corrugated structure forming alternating grooves 15 and flat ridge sections 15a for supporting the characters 14.
The characters 14 are typically provided with tablike members 17 (FIG. 3) projecting from their rear surface. In accordance with a specific aspect of the invention, grooves 15 are of a slightly smaller width than the thickness of tabs 17, so that when inserted into the grooves 15, tabs 17 are securely retained by the springlike tendency of the spread grooves to attain their relaxed dimension, yet are easily removed and replaced when desired.
In accordance with a very important aspect of the invention, securing means 13 are composed of reuseable mating tapes such as the nylon fastening strips described in U.S. Pats. No. 2,717,437 and 3,114,951 and commercially available under the trademark Velcro. Briefly, Velcro tapes comprise mating woven strips having cooperating surfaces provided with releasable interconnecting portions. One of the mating strips has a looped fleecy velvetlike surface appearance and texture while the other strip has a hooked burrlike surface appearance. The tapes are easily joined by bringing the looped and hooked surfaces together and applying slight pressure thereto. The strips may be easily separated by prying or pulling them apart. Because of their nylon construction, and nonconsumable nature Velcro strips are indefinitely reuseable and provide a permanent means for temporarily securing the character-bearing panels 11 to the baseboard 12.
The securing means 13 of the invention preferably comprises first and second Velcro strips to removably secure each character-bearing panel 11 to the baseboard 12. The first Velcro strips include a pair of parallel tapes 18, permanently secured to the baseboard 12. The rear, i.e., noncharacter-bearing surface of each of the panels 11, is provided with a pair of relatively small pieces of Velcro tape 19 (FIG. 2) spaced so as to mate with strips 18 when the panels are pressed against the baseboard. In accordance with the invention, the small pieces of Velcro strip 19, may be mounted on the rear side of the corrugated panels by inserting the tape into a number of the wide U-shaped sections 16, to form a sinuous tape configuration, as shown in FIG. 3.
The character-bearing panels 11 are very easily and quickly removed from the baseboard 12 because of the advantageous characteristics of the Velcro tapes and the fact that a gap, which can be used to grip the panel when removing it, is inherently formed between the panels and baseboard by the Velcro tapes.
When utilized as a menu display board in a cafeteria or luncheonette, baseboard 12 is typically heavy gauge plexiglass and should be of a size sufficient to support a number of corrugated panels 11 equal to the maximum number of items on the menu at any one time during the day. Each of the corrugated panels 11 can be slightly greater in height than the characters used and should preferably be somewhat less in width than the baseboard 12, in order to provide an attractive border around the array of panels. Each corrugated strip may be set up to identity and price one item on panel menu. For greatest efficiency in utilizing the principles of the invention in a menu display board, an individual corrugated panel is made up for each item on the menu for every daily meal served in the eating establishment. After this initial setup procedure, the characters on each individual panel do not have to be changed except in the event of additions to the bill of fare or price changes.
In changing the menu of a menu board in accordance with the invention from breakfast to luncheon, for instance, the mounted panels specifying breakfast items are replaced by panels defining luncheon items. By utilizing the new display device as a menu display board, the process of changing the menu from one meal to the next becomes very simple and rapid, usually less than 50 seconds, requiring the changing of usually about ten to fifteen panels instead of over a hundred individual characters, which could easily take an hour to accomplish.
The display devices of the invention provide a unique and practical means for coping with the problem of conveying periodically changing information. In addition to substantially reducing changeover time, the new display devices are significantly less expensive than existing menu display boards, which are typically permanent fixtures.
The present invention relates to display devices for communicating information. More specifically, the invention provides a display board with easily removable and interchangeable panels which in turn, support and releasably retain indicia such as letter and number characters.
Characteristically, display devices for conveying periodically changing information to the public, such as menu boards utilized in cafeterias and luncheonettes, have been a nuisance to maintain, requiring a substantial amount of time to effect a change of message. This is particularly true in the food industry where menu display boards must typically be changed three times a day; once for every meal served. Within the food industry, menu changeovers are considered a tedious chore, consuming a disproportionate share of available time in a nonproductive endeavor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The display boards of the invention are lightweight, portable and very attractive to the eye. Typically, the new display boards include a rigid plastic base member that is large enough to display all the required information. A number of panels, each supporting a grouping of characters that are removable and interchangeable, are temporarily mounted on the base member in a manner such that each of the indicia bearing panels can be easily and individually removed from the base member and replaced with another, similar, indicia bearing panel. Further, the characters composing the indicia on each panel may also be easily removed and replaced with other characters.
In accordance with the invention, each individual panel may be set up with a different given piece of information that is to be used periodically. To change the message on the new display board, it is necessary simply to replace the panels on the board containing the old message with prearranged panels containing the new message, as opposed to the existing procedure of replacing each individual character making up the old message .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device embodying the principles of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a removable panel embodying the principles of the invention, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a display device, generally indicated as 10, is shown. The illustrated display device includes a plurality of corrugated panels 11, which are temporarily and replaceably joined to a rigid baseboard 12 by securing means 13. Characters 14, which may be any form of lettering or numbers, are removably retained within the grooves 15 of the corrugated panels 11.
In accordance with the invention, panels 11 have an accordion or corrugated structure, most clearly shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, the panels 11 are constructed of a lightweight, flexible plastic material and have a corrugated structure forming alternating grooves 15 and flat ridge sections 15a for supporting the characters 14.
The characters 14 are typically provided with tablike members 17 (FIG. 3) projecting from their rear surface. In accordance with a specific aspect of the invention, grooves 15 are of a slightly smaller width than the thickness of tabs 17, so that when inserted into the grooves 15, tabs 17 are securely retained by the springlike tendency of the spread grooves to attain their relaxed dimension, yet are easily removed and replaced when desired.
In accordance with a very important aspect of the invention, securing means 13 are composed of reuseable mating tapes such as the nylon fastening strips described in U.S. Pats. No. 2,717,437 and 3,114,951 and commercially available under the trademark Velcro. Briefly, Velcro tapes comprise mating woven strips having cooperating surfaces provided with releasable interconnecting portions. One of the mating strips has a looped fleecy velvetlike surface appearance and texture while the other strip has a hooked burrlike surface appearance. The tapes are easily joined by bringing the looped and hooked surfaces together and applying slight pressure thereto. The strips may be easily separated by prying or pulling them apart. Because of their nylon construction, and nonconsumable nature Velcro strips are indefinitely reuseable and provide a permanent means for temporarily securing the character-bearing panels 11 to the baseboard 12.
The securing means 13 of the invention preferably comprises first and second Velcro strips to removably secure each character-bearing panel 11 to the baseboard 12. The first Velcro strips include a pair of parallel tapes 18, permanently secured to the baseboard 12. The rear, i.e., noncharacter-bearing surface of each of the panels 11, is provided with a pair of relatively small pieces of Velcro tape 19 (FIG. 2) spaced so as to mate with strips 18 when the panels are pressed against the baseboard. In accordance with the invention, the small pieces of Velcro strip 19, may be mounted on the rear side of the corrugated panels by inserting the tape into a number of the wide U-shaped sections 16, to form a sinuous tape configuration, as shown in FIG. 3.
The character-bearing panels 11 are very easily and quickly removed from the baseboard 12 because of the advantageous characteristics of the Velcro tapes and the fact that a gap, which can be used to grip the panel when removing it, is inherently formed between the panels and baseboard by the Velcro tapes.
When utilized as a menu display board in a cafeteria or luncheonette, baseboard 12 is typically heavy gauge plexiglass and should be of a size sufficient to support a number of corrugated panels 11 equal to the maximum number of items on the menu at any one time during the day. Each of the corrugated panels 11 can be slightly greater in height than the characters used and should preferably be somewhat less in width than the baseboard 12, in order to provide an attractive border around the array of panels. Each corrugated strip may be set up to identity and price one item on panel menu. For greatest efficiency in utilizing the principles of the invention in a menu display board, an individual corrugated panel is made up for each item on the menu for every daily meal served in the eating establishment. After this initial setup procedure, the characters on each individual panel do not have to be changed except in the event of additions to the bill of fare or price changes.
In changing the menu of a menu board in accordance with the invention from breakfast to luncheon, for instance, the mounted panels specifying breakfast items are replaced by panels defining luncheon items. By utilizing the new display device as a menu display board, the process of changing the menu from one meal to the next becomes very simple and rapid, usually less than 50 seconds, requiring the changing of usually about ten to fifteen panels instead of over a hundred individual characters, which could easily take an hour to accomplish.
The display devices of the invention provide a unique and practical means for coping with the problem of conveying periodically changing information. In addition to substantially reducing changeover time, the new display devices are significantly less expensive than existing menu display boards, which are typically permanent fixtures.