Abstract:
A system to display a flag and a method of manufacturing the flag display system are described. The system includes an attachment member configured to affix the system to a structure horizontally, vertically, or at an angle in between. The system also includes a flag housing configured to house a flag, the flag housing being coupled to the attachment member, a roller member disposed in the flag housing, the flag being disposed to roll onto and off of the roller member to be stored or displayed, respectively, and a guide member coupled to the roller member at a first end in the flag housing, the guide member being configured to maintain alignment between the flag and the roller member when the flag is rolled onto and off of the roller member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.: 61/560,027 filed Nov. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject matter disclosed herein relates to displaying a flag. 
         [0003]    Individuals and businesses display flags on a regular basis. Typically, flags are displayed on vertical masts or ones that make a forty-five degree angle with a vertical structure, such as an exterior wall of a home. When flags are left outdoors during weather conditions such as rain, heavy winds, and dust storms, the condition of the flag material can deteriorate. Preventing this deterioration has required frequent and inconvenient removal and resetting. Thus, a convenient and effective way to display a flag over a long period of time would be appreciated. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to an aspect, a system to display a flag includes an attachment member configured to affix the system to a structure horizontally, vertically, or at an angle in between; a flag housing configured to house a flag, the flag housing being coupled to the attachment member; a roller member disposed in the flag housing, the flag being disposed to roll onto and off of the roller member to be stored or displayed, respectively; and a guide member coupled to the roller member at a first end in the flag housing, the guide member being configured to maintain alignment between the flag and the roller member when the flag is rolled onto and off of the roller member. 
         [0005]    According to another aspect, a method to manufacture a flag display system includes coupling a flag housing to an attachment member, the attachment member including an attachment portion to affix the flag display system to a structure horizontally, vertically, or at an angle therebetween; disposing a roller member in the flag housing, the roller member configured to roll a flag into and out of the flag housing; and positioning a guide member coupled to the roller member at a first end of the flag housing, the guide member including a notched portion and the attachment portion being disposed at an opposite end of the attachment member from the first end. 
         [0006]    These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0007]    The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a system to display a flag according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of components in the flag housing shown in  FIG. 1  according to several embodiments; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates details of the guide mechanism shown at  FIG. 2  according to an embodiment; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  depicts a flag according to an embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a system  100  to display a flag  110  according to an embodiment of the invention. The attachment member  120  affixes the system  100  to a structure (not shown) such as, for example, a building or a ground mount. The attachment portion  122  of the attachment member  120  may pivot in various embodiments to allow attachment of the system  100  at various angles against the structure. For example, a typical arrangement is one in which the system  100  is attached at the attachment portion  122  such that the flag  110  is flying at a forty-five degree angle. The attachment member  120  in the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is essentially a rod with a base (attachment portion  122 ) that serves as the point at which the attachment member  120  is affixed to the structure. Exemplary types of fasteners to affix the attachment member  120  to a building or other structure include screws, nails, and adhesives. The attachment member  120  is coupled to a flag housing  130  that houses the flag  110 . 
         [0014]    The flag housing  130  is configured to move along the axial span of the attachment member  120  as indicated by the arrows. The movement may be achieved manually through adjustment of a holding member  140 . The holding member  140  may be, for example, a u-bolt that can be loosened to allow movement of the flag housing  130  and then re-tightened. In alternate embodiments, electronic control may be employed to move the flag housing  130  along the axial span of the attachment member  120 . This electronically controlled movement may be achieved through a push of a button by an operator or via a remote instruction in various embodiments. By the various embodiments of the holding member  140 , the flag  110  may be flown at half-mast (i.e., flag housing  130  is half way between the attachment portion  122  and the other end of the attachment member  120 , referred to herein as the top end of the system  100 ) or at full-mast (i.e., flag housing  130  at the top end of the system  100 ) or in some other position determined by the user. One or more lights  150  may be mounted on the attachment member  120  and will be discussed further with reference to the light controller  250  ( FIG. 2 ) below. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of components in the flag housing  130  shown in  FIG. 1  according to several embodiments. The flag housing  130 , in addition to housing the flag  110 , also houses a roller member  210 , guide member  220 , controller  230 , antenna  240 , light controller  250 , sound system controller  260 , and one or more sensors  270 . The roller member  210  facilitates rolling of the flag  110  up into the flag housing  130  and out (unfurled) of the flag housing  130 . The roller member  210  is a rod, for example. The length of the roller member  210  (along the axial span of the attachment member  120 ) may be greater than the width of the flag  110  (the portion of the flag parallel with the axial span of the attachment member  120 ) such that the flag  110  rolls onto the roller member  210 . The guide member  220  is positioned at an end of the roller member  210  closest to the top end of the system  100  to keep the flag  110  in alignment with the roller member  210  when the flag  110  is rolled into and out of the flag housing  130 . The guide member  220  is detailed with reference to  FIG. 3  below. 
         [0016]    The controller  230  may include one or more processors and one or more memory devices. The controller  230  is in communication with an antenna  240  to receive remote instructions. The remote instructions may include instructions to roll the flag  110  into or out of the flag housing  130 . The remote instructions may also include instructions to move the flag housing  130  along the axial span of the attachment member  120  in some embodiments, as noted above, in conjunction with the holding member  140 . The light controller  250  controls the lights  150  on the outside of the flag housing  130 . The sound system controller  260  controls sound output from the flag housing  130  and includes one or more speakers. One or both of the light controller  250  and the sound system controller  260  may be integrated with the controller  230  rather than having separate processors (one or more) or memory devices (one or more). One or both of the light controller  250  and sound system controller  260  may include an additional antenna or may be in communication with the antenna  240  in order to receive remote instructions. The antenna  240  may be, for example, an RF antenna. Each of the controllers  230 ,  250 ,  260  may operate based not only on remote instructions but also on sensor output from one or more of the sensors  270   a - 270   n.  The sensors  270  may sense one or more of the following: wind, rain, and light. Thus, for example, when rain is detected by a rain sensor  270  or high wind is detected by the wind detector  270 , the controller  230  may roll up the flag  110  to prevent weathering and damage. As another example, based on various sensor  270  outputs and remote instructions, the flag may be unfurled and flown at half-mast with the lights on and with music playing. As yet another example, the United States flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if it is properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. Thus, the lights  150  may be controlled (by the controller  260 ) to turn on and illuminate the flag when a sensor  270  (a light sensor) detects the absence of light. The controllers  230 ,  250 ,  260  and sensors  270  may be powered by batteries, solar power, or by a combination of power sources. For example, a batter pack may be included in the flag housing  130 . More than one power source may be used, as well. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  illustrates details of the guide member  220  shown at  FIG. 2  according to an embodiment. The guide member  220 , coupled to the roller member  210  at the top end of the system  100  has a notched portion  222  that works to hold the flag  110  in place when it is being rolled into and out of the flag housing  130 . The need for the guide member  220  is clear when two different scenarios are considered. First, when the attachment member  120  is affixed to a structure at ninety degrees (the attachment member  120  is perpendicular to a wall such that the flag  110  hangs straight down), the flag  110  may roll up and down on the roller member  210  without issue. That is, a flag  110  that is hanging straight down is likely to roll onto and off of the roller member  210  without skewing from a given alignment with the roller mechanism  210 . However, when the attachment member  120  is then affixed to a structure at forty-five degrees, the flag  110  is no longer hanging straight down. At such an angle, when the flag  110  rolls onto and off of the roller member  210 , the flag is likely to lose its alignment with the roller member  210  because flag  110  material is bunching up at the top end of the system  100 . This situation is prevented by the guide member  220 . By maintaining the seam  115  ( FIG. 4 ) of the flag  110  that contacts the roller member  210  at the top end of the system  100  in the notched portion  222 , the flag  110  material at the top end of the system  100  is prevented from bunching and, thereby, losing alignment with the roller member  210 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  depicts a flag  110  according to an embodiment. The seam  115  of the flag  110  that is positioned closest to the top end of the system  100  includes a guide  117  and one or more weights  119 . The guide  117  may be, for example, a metal wire with thickness sufficient to keep the seam  115  of the flag  110  in the notched portion  222  ( FIG. 3 ) of the guide member  220 . The one or more weights  119  work in conjunction with the notched portion  222  of the guide member  220  to keep the flag  110  in alignment with the roller member  210 . The seam  115  with the guide  117  and one or more weights  119  may be integral with the flag  110  or, in alternate embodiments, may be configured as an attachment to any regular flag to form a flag  110  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). For example, the seam  115  with the guide  117  and one or more weights  119  within it may be configured to be attached via a fabric hook-and-loop fastener, adhesive, pins, or some other method to any flag to be used with the system  100 . In the arrangement shown in  FIG. 4 , the entire span of the top edge  112  of the flag  110  rolls onto the roller mechanism  210  (rod) while the seam  115  is maintained in the notched portion  222  of the guide member  220  that is coupled to the roller member  210  in the flag housing  130 . 
         [0019]    While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.