Abstract:
A sign/banner display system having one or more central support structures and a plurality of flexible rods connected to the one or more central support structures to provide a versatile uniquely configurable sign/banner display. The flexible rods can be telescoping in nature and have an engaging means for engaging and securing the sign/banner thereto. The central support structures can be differently configured for hanging or standing applications and can be mixed and matched to create the desired sign/banner.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/553,464 filed on Oct. 31, 2011. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present principles relate to sign/banner displays. More particularly, they relate to a sign/banner system that is infinitely configurable to provide both two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) signs/banners. 
         [0004]    2. Description of related art 
         [0005]    Sign and banner displays are commonly known and used throughout the business world in the advertising and promotions for the sale of goods, trade shows, charitable events, etc. One primary drawback to such known sign/banner systems that they often require being custom made for a particular application and therefore require more time and money than is often warranted for the particular application. 
         [0006]    Other known sign/display systems do not have the ability to be used in both a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional application. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In accordance with one implementation of the invention, the sign/banner display system includes at least one central support structure having a plurality of holes therein, at least one flexible support rod having one end configured for insertion into one of the plurality of holes in the central support structure and the other end configured to engage a sign/banner and sign/banner engaging means configured to be secured on the end of the at least one flexible support rod. The central support structure being configured for connecting at least one of a hanging support or a rigid support; 
         [0008]    In accordance with another implementation, the sign/banner display system includes at least one first central support structure having a plurality of holes therein, at least one second central support structure having a plurality of holes therein and having a bore passing entirely there through, a plurality of flexible support rods having one end configured for insertion into one of the plurality of holes in the at least one first and at least one second central support structures and the other end being configured to engage a sign/banner, and sign/banner engaging means configured to be secured to the end of the at least one support rod. The first central support structure being configured for connecting at least one of a hanging support or rigid support; and at least one first central support and at least one second central support being attached to each other using a rigid support. 
         [0009]    Other aspects and features of the present principles will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the present principles, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    In the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote similar components throughout the views: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1A  is plan view of a support sphere for the sign/banner system according to an implementation of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a plan view of a cylindrical shaped support for the sign/banner system according to an implementation of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a side view of a plurality of flexible sign/banner support rods according to an implementation of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of a plurality of hook ends use in conjunction with the flexible sign/banner rods according to an implementation of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2C  is an example of a rigid support rod according to an implementation of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3A-3H  show various examples of sign/banner system according to an implementation of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  shows a side view of an extendable flexible rod according to another implementation of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  is an example of a pressure fit collar used with the flexible rod of  FIG. 4A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4C  is another example of an extendable flexible rod according to another implementation of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4D  is another example of an extendible rod according to another implementation of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4E  is another example of the extendible rod according to another implementation of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is another example of a support sphere having lighting means; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6A  shows another support sphere according to another implementation of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 6B-6D  show various implementations of the sign/banner display system using the support sphere of  FIG. 6A , according to an implementation of the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7A  shows another support sphere according to a further implementation of the invention; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 7B-7E  show various implementation of the sign/banner display system using the support sphere of  FIG. 7A , according to a further implementation of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8A  shows another support sphere according to yet a further implementation of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIGS. 8B and 8C  shown various implementations of the sign/banner display system using the support sphere of  FIG. 8A ; and 
           [0029]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show various implementations of the sign/banner display system using varying combinations of the support structures (spheres) shown in  FIGS. 6A ,  7 A and  8 A, according to other embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    In accordance with one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1A-3H , the sign or banner display includes a central support structure. The central support structure can be spherical in shape, for example sphere  10 A shown in  FIG. 1A . Alternatively, the central support structure can be cylindrical in shape, see cylinder  10 B shown in 
         [0031]      FIG. 1B . As shown, the preferred central support structure is a sphere  10 A having many holes  2  therein for receiving two or more support rods  14 . In other embodiments, the central support structure can be in any desired form, for example, a triangle, cylinder  10 B, square, etc., in order to provide the support for the attached sign/banner. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C , a primary support  20  is provided which can be made of steel, rubber, plastic, wood, aluminum, or other suitable material and is configured to releasably connect to the central support structure  10  (via one of the holes therein) and being configured support or hold the central support structure  10  and connect the same to a stand, wall or ceiling mount for display of the respective sign/banner. 
         [0033]    The support rods  14  are bendable, yet formed of a rigid or hard plastic, steel or aluminum. The support rods are provided for selective inserting into the holes  12  of the central support structure  10 . The bendable rods  14  are preferably made of a hard plastic so as to retain their straight shape. However, any other suitable material may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0034]    Hook ends  16  having a rod engaging end  18  and hook portion  17  are provided to attach to the distal end of each support rod (after inserted into the central support structure). The hook ends  16  (as shown) enable the attachment of an almost limitless number of shapes and size signs/banners  30 . As will be appreciated from the  FIGS. 3A-3H  (e.g., side views), when opposing supports rods  14  are flexed to connect their hooksl 6  to a sign/banner  30 , they will automatically pull the sign/banner  30  taught as a result of the support rod&#39;s desire to remain straight (i.e., biased toward a straight position). 
         [0035]    In this manner, the central support structure  10  (with a plurality of holes  12  therein), along with any number of support rods  14  and with corresponding hooks  16 , can be used to create an almost limitless number of configurations (e.g., shapes and sizes) in signs/banners, as shown in the examples of the  FIGS. 3A-3H . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIGS. 3A-3H , the sign/banner  30  can be almost any shape imaginable. For example, a cylinder or spinning type sign  30   a  ( FIGS. 3A ,  3 B), flat  30   b  and positioned on different sides of the central support structure  10  ( FIG. 3C ), or unique shapes line a Christmas tree ( FIG. 3D ) or a star ( FIG. 3E ).  FIGS. 3F-3H  show various 3-dimensional signs  30  where the shapes are limitless.  FIG. 3H  shows an example of the use of two central support structures  10   a  connected together with one rigid support  20  and being supported by another rigid support  20 . Here it will become obvious that the shape and configurations for the sign/banners are only limited by the user&#39;s imagination and can be implemented using the sign/banner display system according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0037]    Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the angles of the holes  12  in the central support structures  10 , and the lengths of the support rods  14  releasably connected thereto help to create the almost limitless number of configurations of shapes and sizes for the sign/banner display of the present invention. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 4A-4E  show alternative implementations of the bendable rods  140 , according to other embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 4A  shows a rod  140  that is telescoping in nature and has a larger rod  142  that receives a smaller rod  144  such that any desired length of the rod can be achieved. Once the desired length has been achieved, a snap compression  146  ( FIG. 4B ) around the junction between the larger rod  142  and the smaller rod  144  so as to secure the two with respect to each other. The snap compression fitting  146  includes a snap  148  or other releasable connection that allows the same to function as described above. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4C  shows another embodiment of the rod  140  where a screw like compression fitting  150  is used to secure the larger rod  142  with the smaller rod  144  when at the desired length. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4D  shows another embodiment of the rod  140  where a post  152  at the base of the smaller rod  144  is received in a slot  154  in the larger rod, such that the slot received and secures the post in a locked position. 
         [0041]    In the embodiments shown in FIGS.  4 A 0 - 4 D, the hook ends  16  can be added to one end of the rod  140  while the other would be configured for insertion into the central support structure  10 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4E  shows a different rod assembly according to another embodiment of the invention. Here, the top of the smaller rod  144  (internal to rod  144 ), is configured to include a surface  162  having a rod or pin  164  centrally extended outward therefrom. In operation, the pin  164  engages the holes in the signs/banners  30  and the cap  168  can be used to secure the respective rod  140  to the sign/banner such that the same will sandwiched between the surface  162  and the cap  168 . This embodiment eliminates the need for hook ends  16  described above by incorporating the same directly into the extendable support rod  140 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  shows an alternative embodiment of central support structure  10  where a plurality of LED lights  170  are integrated therein. In this configuration, lighting can be added to the sign/banner system of the present invention. The lights  170  can be configured in any desired form and can use one or more colors. With the use of lights added to the central structure, a plurality of lighting effects could be added to the sign/display, such as, for example, blinking lights, streaming lights, dynamically changing colors, etc. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6A  shows another embodiment of a central support structure  200 A according to one phase of the sign/banner display system of the present invention. The central support structure  200  includes a plurality of holes  12  for receiving the support rods  14 ,  140  and also includes a hook like structure  204  configured over an aperture  202  in the central support. As shown in  FIGS. 6B-6D , this central support structure  200  is particularly configured for hanging applications. A string, or rigid support  210  connects to the hook  204  can be connected to a ceiling or other structure that is above the desired display region. As shown, the sign/banner  30  can take many different forms and through the use of the bendable rods  14 , 140  any type of sign/banner design can be achieved. 
         [0045]      FIG. 7A  shows another embodiment of a central support structure  200 B according to a second phase of the sign/banner display system of the present invention. The central support structure  200 B includes a plurality of holes  212  for receiving the support rods, and an aperture  222  that passes entirely through the support. As shown in  FIGS. 7B-7E , one or more central support structures  200 B can be used in conjunction with a rigid support  20  to provide various configurations and implementations of the sign/banners  30 . With the use of the central support structure  200 B, the sign/banner  30  can be supported from walls ( FIGS. 7B and 7D ) or from a floor ( FIGS. 7C and 7E ). 
         [0046]      FIG. 8A  shows another central support structure  200 C according to a third phase of the sign/banner display system of the present invention. The central support structure  200 C includes a plurality of holes  212  for receiving the support rods, and a partial hole  242  configured to receive the rigid support  20 . In this manner, the support  200 C with rigid support  20  can be supported on a floor ( FIG. 8B ) or a wall ( FIG. 8C ) such that the sign/banner  30  connected to the support by rods  14 ,  140  can be displayed in the desired position. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show how the various phases of the central support structures  200 A,  200 B and  200 C can be combined to provide an almost infinite number of configurations for the sign/banner display system of the invention. 
         [0048]    While there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present principles, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the same. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the present principles. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or implementation of the present principles may be incorporated in any other disclosed, described or suggested form or implementation as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.