Abstract:
A collapsible support frame for a sign, having a base, a main hollow vertical tube, and a support assembly. The support assembly consists of a pair of vertical supports, a lower horizontal support, and an upper horizontal support, which together define a rectangular frame. When assembled, the support assembly holds the sign in place. The base is attached to the bottom of the tube and lends stability to the support frame. The frame may be collapsed, for easy storage, with the support assembly fitting fully within the hollow vertical tube.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a collapsible support frame for a sign. In particular, the invention is a support frame which is capable of supporting a sign when deployed and collapses into a compact lightweight structure for easy transport and storage. 
     In many fields and businesses, it is necessary to advertise services or specials on signs. Especially in the real estate business, these signs are typically moved from location to location in order to advertise a property for sale. The signs are often placed in front of the property to allow for greater visibility by passersby. These signs are heavy and cumbersome, and do not allow for easy transport. New signs are needed for different types of properties, as well as for different agents. Thus, it is often necessary for an agent to carry a plurality of signs with himself/herself. This practice requires a great deal of space and a considerable manpower. 
     Besides real estate agents, many businesses also use signs to advertise. These signs convey various information to prospective consumers, ranging from daily specials to information about the company and its goods or services. Such signs are necessary to draw customers into the store. Because of the lack of availability of a suitable sign support device, many stores are forced to simply place signs and notices in their windows. Besides limited the amount of exposure, this practice also creates a messy appearance for the storefront. 
     Thus, there exists a need for a support frame that may be used to display various sized signs in any location. Such a frame should be lightweight and easily transported. When collapsed, the support frame is compact and may be fit into a suitcase for convenient storage. The frame should also be adjustable to fit any size sign. 
     While the units available may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved collapsible support frame for a sign. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved collapsible support frame for a sign which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a collapsible support frame for a sign, having a base, a main hollow vertical tube, and a support assembly. The support assembly consists of a pair of vertical supports, a lower horizontal support, and an upper horizontal support, iL which together define a rectangular frame. When assembled, the support assembly holds the sign in place. The base is attached to the bottom of the tube and lends stability to the support frame. The frame may be collapsed, for easy storage, with the support assembly fitting fully within the hollow vertical tube. 
     It is an object of the invention to produce a collapsible support frame for a sign that may be easily transported and stored when not in use. Accordingly, the support frame may be collapsed into a plurality of supports, said supports being stored in the main tube of the frame. 
     It is a further object of the invention to produce a collapsible support frame for a sign that may accommodate any size sign. Accordingly, the support frame may be adjusted to hold a smaller or larger sign. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows. 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the collapsible support frame for a sign in the assembled position. 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the collapsible support frame in a partially assembled state. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the collapsible support frame in a partially collapsed state. 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the collapsible support frame in a collapsed state, with the support assembly shown in broken lines inside the tube. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collapsible support frame in a partially assembled state. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plurality of collapsible support frames in a case. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 REFERENCE NUMERALS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10 
                 collapsible support frame 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 sign 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 base 
               
               
                   
                 14C 
                 center of base 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 main hollow vertical tube 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 support assembly 
               
               
                   
                 16B 
                 bottom end of main hollow vertical tube 
               
               
                   
                 16T 
                 top end of main hollow vertical tube 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 pair of adjustable vertical supports 
               
               
                   
                 18T 
                 top end of vertical supports 
               
               
                   
                 18B 
                 bottom end of vertical supports 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 upper horizontal support 
               
               
                   
                 20A 
                 opposite ends of upper horizontal support 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 lower horizontal support 
               
               
                   
                 21A 
                 two halves of lower horizontal support 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 threaded segment of main vertical tube 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 bore in base 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 anchor 
               
               
                   
                 28 
                 joint 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 pair of hinges 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 neck 
               
               
                   
                 36 
                 cables 
               
               
                   
                 38 
                 cap 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 flat plate of cap 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 handle 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 case 
               
               
                   
                 46 
                 indentations in case 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a collapsible support frame  10  for a sign  12 , essentially comprising a base  14 , a main vertical tube  16 , and a support assembly  17 . The sign  12  is selectively positioned within the support assembly  17 , and attached thereto for display. 
     The main vertical tube  16  has a bottom end  16 B, a top end  16 T, and a hollow interior. A cap  38  is mateable with the top end  16 T of the tube  16 . The cap  38  has two sides, wherein one side of the cap  38  is a flat plate  40  connected to the support assembly  17 , and a handle  42  is positioned on the opposite side of the cap  38 , as seen in FIG.  3 . When the support frame  10  is collapsed, the cap  38  is positioned within the top end  16 T of the tube  16  so that the handle  42  is oriented upward, outside of the tube  16 . When assembled, the handle  42  is positioned inside the tube  16 , with the flat plate  40  and the support assembly  17  outside of the tube  16 , such that the support assembly  17  attached thereto extends upward therefrom. 
     The base  14  is positioned at the bottom end  16 B of the main tube  16 . The base  14  is weighted in order to lend stability to the support frame  10 , and to prevent said frame  10  from tipping over. As seen in FIG. 4, the bottom end  16 B of the tube  16  has a threaded segment  22  extending downward therefrom, said segment  22  mateable with a bore  24  extending through a center  14 C of the base  14 . When mated with the threaded segment  22 , the base  14  is secured in place at the bottom end  16 B of the tube  16 . An anchor  26  may be attached to the threaded segment  22  under the base  14 . The anchor  26  is pointed so that it can penetrate a ground surface, in order to anchor the support frame  10  on a soft surface, particularly dirt or grass. 
     The support assembly  17  extends upward from the top end  16 T of the tube  16 , has a pair of adjustable vertical supports  18 , an upper adjustable horizontal support  20 , and a lower adjustable horizontal support  21 . The lower horizontal support  21  comprises two halves  21 A. Each vertical support  18  has a hollow top end  18 T, and a bottom end  18 B. The bottom ends  18 B of the vertical supports  18  are attached at either end of the lower horizontal support  21 , and selectively extend upward therefrom at right angles. Joints  28  are situated between the bottom ends  18 B of the vertical supports  18  and the lower horizontal support  21 , and allow the vertical supports  18  to pivot thereabout and to collapse parallel to the lower horizontal support  21 . A pair of hinges  32  are located in the center of the lower horizontal support  21 , thus separating said support  21  into the two halves  21 A, and are attached to the flat plate  40  of the cap  38 . These hinges  32  allow the halves  21 A of the lower horizontal support  21  to selectively pivot upward so that they extend parallel to each other to facilitate compact storage, or extend away from each other when the support assembly  17  is assembled. 
     The upper horizontal adjustable support  20  has two opposite ends  20 A, with a neck  34  making a ninety degree turn and extending downward from each end  20 A. The necks  34  are sized to mate with the hollow top ends  18 T of the vertical supports  18 . A plurality of cables  36  are attached along the length of the upper horizontal support  20  and extend downward therefrom. The cables  36  are provided for attaching to the sign  12  for supporting the sign  12  in place during display. All of the supports  18 ,  20 ,  21  are telescoping, thus enabling the support assembly  17  to be adjusted according to the size of the sign  12  to be held. 
     The support assembly  17  is collapsible for storage within the interior of the tube  16 . The necks  34  at each end  20 A of the upper horizontal support  20  are detached from the top ends  18 T of the vertical supports  18 . The vertical supports  18  are then shortened, and folded downward at the joints  28  between said vertical supports  18  and the lower horizontal support  21 , so that they extend parallel to each other, as illustrated in FIG.  2 . The halves  21 A of the lower horizontal member  21  are then pivoted upward into a vertical position along the hinges  32  attached to the cap plate  40 . The cap  38  is unscrewed from the top end  16 T of the tube  16 , and inverted so that the plate  40  is facing downward and the handle  42  is positioned upward. The support assembly  17  is then fitted within the interior of the tube  16 , as illustrated in FIG.  3 . Once completely in place inside the tube  16 , the cap  38  is screwed into the top end  16 T of the tube  16 , thereby containing the support assembly  17  inside said tube  16 , as illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     To utilize the support frame  10 , the support assembly  17  must first be removed from the interior of the tube  16 . Accordingly, the cap  38  is unscrewed from the top end  16  of the tube  16 , and the collapsed support assembly  17  is inverted upward. The cap  38  is then threaded into the top end  16  of the tube  16 , with the plate  40  facing upward, as illustrated in FIG.  5 . The supports  18 ,  20 ,  21  may then be unfolded and sized as necessary according to the sign to be displayed. The bottom end  16 B of the tube  16  is then mated with the base  14  and the anchor  26 , if necessary. 
     A case  44  may also be provided to carry a plurality of support frames  10 , as illustrated in FIG.  6 . The case  44  has presized indentations  46  to accommodate the tube  16 , the base  14 , and the anchor  26 . 
     In conclusion, herein is presented a collapsible support frame for a sign. The invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present invention.