DEMONSTRATION CASE WITH ECCENTRIC TILT DISPLAY PANEL

A demonstration case having an eccentric tilt panel display assembly is provided for safely securing, transporting, and demonstrating industrial products or equipment. The demonstration case may reduce damage to display products that may occur from dropping the demonstration case or from joggling of display products during transport. The demonstration case may also help stably maintain the display product in a display or demonstration mode.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not every embodiment need accomplish all advantages of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The drawings and descriptions are exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims.

Turning now toFIGS. 1 through 3, a top perspective view, a front perspective view and a side cutaway view of a demonstration case10in accordance with an aspect of the present invention are respectively shown. As shown inFIGS. 1-3, the demonstration case10may be comprised of a travel case12and a product display panel14. The travel case12should be durable and made of a sturdy material, such as a polymer or composite material or of aluminum or a metal alloy that may be waterproof, flame retardant, or tear-resistant. The travel case may also be made of any other material commonly used by those skilled in the art for making durable travel cases.

The travel case12may include a lid13also made of a durable material in which foam padding15, such as an egg carton shaped foam padding, may be disposed. The foam padding15may provide shock resistance to assist in protecting display products or equipment stored or transported in the demonstration case10. The foam padding15may also be disposed on one or more of the other interior sides of the travel case12to help protect the display panel14and any display product configured thereon and being stored or transported.

The travel case12may also have an extendible handle for carrying or towing the demonstration case. The travel case may also have one or more wheels or rollers to facilitate towing the demonstration case when transporting a display product.

The display panel14may be made of a light weight but sturdy material, such as a composite or a metal, such as aluminum or metal alloy, which may provide strong support for heavy industrial products being demonstrated or displayed on the display panel14. The display panel14may also be configured for securing or mounting a display product thereon. The display product may be assembled on or mounted to the display panel14for demonstration purposes.

As shown inFIGS. 1-3, the display panel14may be pivotally connected at a first side of the display panel14to at least one interior side of the travel case12using a hinge18. Preferably, the hinge18connecting the front side of the display panel14to the travel case is a piano hinge, which may provide strong support for heavy industrial products being displayed on the product display panel14. If desired, more than one hinge18may be used for securing the first side of the product display panel14to the travel case12.

The display panel14may also be bi-stably configured with one or more gas charged lift supports22a,22beccentrically disposed at a first end to the product display panel14using one or more eccentrically actuated hinges16a,16bwith the gas charged lift supports22a,22bbeing pivotally disposed at a second end to the travel case12using one or more pivot hinges20a,20b.

As shown inFIG. 3, inertia from the eccentrically actuated hinges16a,16band the gas charged lift supports22a,22bprovides inertia that may stably maintain the display panel14in one of two positions on either side of a toggle point so that the display panel14is stable in both the closed or “folded” position and in the open or “display” position.

The inertia from the eccentrically actuated hinges16a,16band the gas charged lift supports22a,22bmay also help prevent the display panel and any display product configured thereon from moving in the demonstration case10during transport so that the display panel14remains in the closed or “folded” position. The inertia from the eccentrically actuated hinges16a,16band the gas charged lift supports22a,22balso helps support the display panel when it is configure with a display product to stably be maintained in the “demonstration” or “display” position.

Turning now toFIGS. 3 through 6, a top perspective view, a front perspective view, and a rear side-angle view of a demonstration case10having a product display assembly24in accordance with an aspect of the present invention are respectively shown. As can be seen inFIGS. 5 and 6, the product display assembly24may be comprised of a burner management demonstration system mounted to or configured on a product display panel14for the purpose of providing demonstrations of the burner management system. The burner management demonstration system may include a burner management system control box26for controlling at least one element of combustion, a simulation switch box28, a valve train, a combustion assembly, and one or more sensors for measuring various combustion elements.

The valve train may comprise a high flow regulator and pressure gauge44, a low flow regulator and pressure gauge46, a pilot regulator and pressure gauge48, a high flow solenoid control valve50, a low flow solenoid control valve52, and a pilot solenoid control valve54all connected using fuel conduits.

The combustion assembly may comprise a mixer58, a fuel nipple pipe60, a pilot or burner nozzle62, and a flame ignition electrode56and one or more flame sensor electrodes64. Gas or other fuel for combustion may be stored in a fuel tank66, such as a propane tank. The fuel tank66may be connected to a first end of the valve train using a fuel conduit such as rubber tubing; and, the mixer58end of the combustion assembly may be connected to a second end of the valve train. Fuel can then be channeled from the fuel tank66through the valve train and then to the burner assembly for delivery of fuel to the burner to provide fuel for combustion. Gas flow and combustion may be controlled by the combustion management control box26.

The combustion assembly unit may be folded and stored behind the product display assembly24and unfolded and extended when the product display assembly24is in the open and full demonstration position as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6.

Switches on the simulation switch box28may be used to initiate signals that are sent to the burner management system control box26simulating various conditions which can occur in a burner management system at an oil and gas well site. The simulation switches on the simulation switch box28may include a process temperature slide switch30, an auxiliary temperature slide switch32, a flame simulation switch34, a low pressure simulation switch36, a high pressure simulations switch38, an emergency shutdown (ESD) simulation switch40, and a start switch42.

The start switch42may be used to power on the burner management demonstration system. The means for delivering power to the burner management system control box26and the simulation switch box28may include a power cord with a standard AC plug, such as a standard male electrical plug for connecting with a standard 110 volt female electrical socket. As can be seen inFIG. 6, the electrical cord and plug may be stored behind the product display assembly24in a power cord retractor68for dispensing and rewinding the electrical cord. The power cord retractor68may be a spring powered power cord retractor or an automatic retractor.

Of course, one may use any other means commonly used by those skilled in the art for delivering power from a power source to an electrically operated device.

When the start switch42is in the “on” position and the power is on, the switches on the simulated switch box28may be used to send signals to the burner management system control box23simulating various onsite conditions. Depending on the conditions simulated, the burner management system control box23may then send responsive signals to various components of the burner management demonstration system, such as, for example, to solenoid control valves for adjusting gas flow in response to the simulated conditions.

As with the display panel14, the product display assembly24is bi-stable when the burner management demonstration system is configured therewith. Pressure from the one or more gas charged lift supports22a,22bhelp maintain the product display assembly24in the closed position once it has been tilted into the travel case, helping to hold the product display assembly24down. Pivot hinges20a,20bconnected to the gas charged lift supports22a,22bmay facilitate opening and closing of the product display assembly24.

The eccentrically actuated hinges16a,16bprovide an eccentric arc that provides outward pressure from the gas charged lift supports22a,22bwhen the product display assembly24is in the closed position to keep the product display assembly24down unless pressure is applied to overcome the eccentric arc. When such pressure is applied and the apex of the eccentric arc is overcome, the outward pressure from the gas charged lift support22a,22bbiases the product display assembly24along the eccentric arc into the “open” position.

The piano hinge18facilitates folding of product display assembly24into and out of the travel case12. Thus, a user may move the product display assembly24from the closed to the open position by pulling up on the product display assembly24, including the burner management demonstration system, to overcome the initial inertia of the eccentric hinge in the “folded” or closed position. After the inertia is overcome, the product display assembly24, including the burner management demonstration system, should easily move to the “display” or demonstration position. Similarly, a user may bias the product display assembly24into the closed position by folding the product display assembly24down until the initial inertia from the eccentric arc is overcome and upon which the eccentric forces will help hold the product display assembly24in the closed or storing position.

There is thus disclosed an improved demonstration travel case having an eccentric tilt display panel. It will be appreciated that numerous changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims.