Patent ID: 6038802
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: G09F

Abstract:
A display system positionable upon a floor for use with a vertical support surface comprising:a sheet of material;a collapsible frame from which the sheet of material is suspended in a spread condition for use, the frame including a horizontally-disposable section having two opposite ends and a pair of leg sections which are connectable to the horizontally-disposable section at the opposite ends thereof so as to extend generally downwardly therefrom and to provide a corner of the frame at each end of the horizontally-disposable section; andthe sheet of material is attachable to the horizontally-disposable section of the frame so that by attaching the sheet of material to the horizontally-disposable section, positioning the leg sections of the frame upon the floor adjacent the vertical support surface and then leaning the horizontally-disposable section to a position of rest against the vertical support surface, the sheet of material which is attached to the horizontally-disposable section is suspended therefrom in a spread condition adjacent the vertical surface;wherein each of the leg sections and the horizontally-disposable section of the frame includes a plurality of linear members which are releasably connectable to one another in an end-to-end arrangement to provide two opposite ends and a common elastomeric tensioning cord which joins the linear members of the leg sections and the horizontally-disposable section together, each of the linear members of the leg sections and the horizontally-disposable section has a hollow interior and the common elastomeric tensioning cord extends through the hollow interiors of the linear members to accommodate the pulling apart of connected linear members during disassembly of the leg sections and re-arrangement of the linear members in a side-by-side relationship for storage and handling; and the frame further includestwo corner brackets for joiing the horizontally-disposable section to the leg sections at the corners of the frame, each corner bracket including two recessed portions adapted to accept an end of the horizontally-disposable section and end of a corresponding leg section so that by inserting an end of the horizontally-disposable section and an end of a corresponding leg section into the recessed portions, the horizontally-disposable section and the corresponding leg section are joined together and fixedly maintained in an angular relationship which is slightly greater than about 90.degree., and wherein the recessed portions of each corner bracket are in communication with one another to accommodate the free passage therethrough of the tensioning cord from one recessed portion of the corner bracket to the other recessed portion of the corner bracket; andwherein the common elastromeric tensioning cord extends in sequence through the hollow interiors of the linear members of one of the leg sections, then through one corner bracket of the frame, then through the hollow interiors of the linear members of the horizontally-disposable section, then through the other corner bracket of the frame, and then through the hollow interiors of the linear members of the other of the leg sections so that when the frame is assembled, the common elastomeric cord urges each end of the horizontally-disposable section toward the corresponding end of the leg section through a corresponding corner bracket of the frame.