Advertising or decorative sign for representing images

The invention relates to an advertizing or decorative sign for representing images, formed by a base member onto which plate-like members are removably fittable. The plate-like members have different shapes so that by suitably combining them with the base member zones of different degrees of transparency are achieved, which enables to compose an image.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an advertising or decorative sign for 
representing images, and more particularly it refers to a device or kit 
which, by means of the members constituting said kit enables to compose in 
a simple manner such images, and the same members may be used to compose 
different images. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3.362.093 granted on Jan. 9th., 1968 an advertising or 
decorative sign for representing images has been proposed comprising a 
plurality of hollow plate supporting frames, each hollow plate supporting 
frame comprising parallelly spaced apart girders, each having a main body 
portion and a head portion, said head portion having a poligonally-shaped 
cross section, and a plurality of parallelly spaced linking posts, said 
posts having polygonally-shaped cross sections and are fitted in said head 
portions of said girders to define therewith cells, said girders and 
linking posts having end portions, end members having an outer flat 
surface and an inner complementary surface to said head portions 
surrounding said end portions of said linking posts and girders, said 
outer flat surfaces of said end members of adjacent hollow plate 
supporting frame being in facing relationship, whereby said plurality of 
hollow plate supporting frames define a surface of the sign, a plurality 
of plate-like plastic members mountable over said cells and defining a 
substantially continuous front surface on said frame, each plate-like 
member having a resilient skirt for mounting said plate-like member over 
said cells, said plate-like members comprising a first series of 
translucid members, a second series of opaque members, a third series of 
translucid members having an opening and a fourth series of opaque members 
having an opening, a first type of translucid resilient plastic inserts 
and a second type of opaque resilient plastic inserts removably mountable 
on said fourth and third series of members to cover said openings, hook 
members connected to said end members and projecting out of said hollow 
plate supporting frames in a direction opposite to said head portions, 
light reflector casing have light emitting means and complementary hook 
supporting members for receiving said hook members, said light emitting 
means being substantially transversely arranged with regard to said main 
body portions of said girders, said light emitting means being adapted to 
project light beams onto said plate-like plastic members. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Although these advertising signs which are used for large signs are 
satisfactory, the structural principle of these signs cannot be used for 
relatively smaller display units to be preferably used for indoor 
advertising because the above referred to cells must have a certain 
minimum size of at least 4 square centimeters so that it becomes 
necessary, in order to create images, to use relatively large total 
surfaces and to regard the signs at a substantial distance in order to 
achieve a true subliminal perception. Thus, for instance an airplane image 
could be created for a large sign to be in front of an airline building, 
but such system could not be adapted for representing the same image on a 
small display to be located within the building or travel agency. 
In order to compose images on signs of smaller surfaces, such as 20 
cm.times.10 cm, the present invention has been conceived which could be 
defined as consisting of an advertising or decorative sign for 
representing images of small size, comprising at least one base member 
representing a first type of module which is divided into rows and columns 
forming resilient basic units with memory, each basic unit having a 
central embossed and tapered end with a front fact and a surrounding 
sloping zone oriented according to a plane which is approximately parallel 
to the plane containing said front face, said sloping zone having a 
perimetral portion, the perimetral portion of said sloping zone ending in 
a first channel, and a plurality of cover plates capable of being 
press-fitted and covering at least partially said basic units, said plates 
defining second types of modules which are submultiples of said first type 
of module, said cover plates being likewise resilient and having memory 
and having approximately the same shape and arrangement as said basic 
unit, said cover plates comprising a first series having basic units with 
substantially identical central embossed and tapered zones each with a 
front face member and a surrounding sloping zone including a perimetral 
portion which ends at least into a partial channel capable of entering and 
becoming linked to the first channel, a second series having basic units 
each with a central zone defining an opening and a surrounding sloped 
zone, having a perimetral portion which likewise ends into a channel also 
capable of entering and becoming linked to the first channel, and a third 
series having only caps with a front face, each cap having a substantial 
identical shape to the embossed central portion of each basis unit. 
From the foregoing, it is apparent that the new display may consist of one 
or several base members each of which is an integral member whereby it 
will only be necessary to fit on certain zones thereof additional or cover 
members which may be opaque or colored in order to compose the desired 
image. 
Furthermore, it is possible to cover predetermined zones of the base member 
by means of a single composite cover member. Thus, the process of 
composing the image is considerably less time consuming than in the case 
of the sign of my prior patent. 
The different members constituting the signs may be provided by way of kit 
so that the base member may be used for forming signs with different 
images.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As may be seen in FIG. 1, the advertising or decorative sign for composing 
images in a small display, comprises at least one base member 1 which is 
divided into rows 2 and columns 3 forming basic units 4 which in the 
embodiment shown are of substantially square shape. 
As will be better understood further on, the basic units need not be 
square-like, but should preferably be of regular shape. 
The base member is preferably a molded member of flexible material, having 
a memory. Such material may be plastics, preferably incombustible or 
metal, such as aluminum foil. Each basic unit 4 comprises (see FIG. 2) an 
embossed central zone 5 defining a truncated cone, comprising a side wall 
member 6 and a front face member 7 defining the smaller base of the 
truncated cone. The embossed central zone 5 is surrounded by a sloping 
zone 8 substantially defining a slightly arcuate first plane 9 
approximately parallel to a second plane 10 containing said front face 
member 7. Actually, plane 9 is a curved plane defined by a large radius, 
so that the concept exposed that the planes 9 and 10 are approximately 
parallel is only applicable for the plane 9 in the zone limited by the 
side wall member 6. Plane 9 becomes more parallel to plane 10 when the 
sign is assembled, as will be understood later on. 
The perimetral zone of each sloping zone 8 ends in channel members 11, 
defining the rows 2 and in channel members 12 defining the columns 3. 
If the perimeter of the sloping zone 8 is of a poligonal shape different 
from a square, then the number of channel members would increase 
correspondingly up to theoretically reaching the limit where the 
perimetral zone of each basic unit is annular and in which event there 
would be only one annular channel, for instance, a circular channel for 
each basic unit. 
It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that the base member 1 
is to be molded in a single mold to define a plurality of basic units 4. 
If a sign of larger size is desired, than the sign provided by one base 
member 1, then it would only be necessary, such as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, 
to locate the half channel members or end channel members 11' and 12' of 
adjacent base units 1' in "U" shape receiving channels 13 and 14, where 
the legs or side walls of said "U" define a space in which adjacent end 
channel members 11' and 12' are to be placed to thus obtain the necessary 
fitting pressure on the end channel members to achieve an assembly of 
several base members. 
The sign of the present invention further comprises a plurality of cover 
members which in principle are molded in a similar mold to the one used 
for producing the base members. These cover members formed by a plurality 
of molded units can then be cut in the zone of the channel members to form 
plates where the number of the basic units is smaller than the number of 
the basic units of the base member; it being possible to reach the case 
where the cover plate consists of a single basic unit or of as many basic 
units as the base member has. 
Before describing in detail the cover members or plates, it is to be 
pointed out that the basic unit 4 of the base member 1 may be considered 
as being a module. 
As to the cover plates, these consist of four different types of modules. 
More particularly, as may be appreciated from FIG. 1, the first type of 
module or cover plate 15 is of a substantially identical structure and 
arrangement as the basic unit 4. In fact, it comprises an embossed zone 
defined by a frustoconical side wall member 16 and a front face member 17 
as well as a surrounding sloping zone 18 and the channel members 19 and 
20. 
The second type of module 21 of the cover plates differs from the first 
type 15 in that although it has an embossed central zone formed by a 
lateral side wall member 22, it has no front face member so that the side 
wall member 22 circumscribes an opening 23. 
The third type of module 21' of the cover plate differs from the second 
type in that it has no side wall member 22 surrounding the opening 23' 
which is larger than the opening 23. 
Finally the fourth type of module 24 consists of a member being equivalent 
to what has been so far called "embossed zone" and which actually is a 
cap. In fact, the cap of this fourth type of module 24 comprises a lateral 
wall member 25 and a front face member 26, but has no sloping zone nor 
channel members. 
Since the four types of modules 15, 21, 21' and 24 are produced in 
relatively large quantities, in order to be able to compose different 
images, one may state that there are series of modules 15, 21, 21' and 24, 
respectively. 
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will now be described how the different 
types of cover plates may be linked to the base member. 
As already stated, all the different types of members are molded with the 
same type of molds and therefore the shape of the base member, as well as 
of the modules corresponding to the cover plates are substantially 
identical and in any event they are complementary. 
It is to be recalled that these members are molded of a resilient material 
having a memory. If a basis unit 4 of the base member 1 is to be covered 
by a cover plate so that the zone of such a basic unit 4 becomes opaque or 
in other words will not allow the passage of light, the module 15 is 
pressure fit on the module 4, such as shown in FIG. 3 and more 
particularly the projecting portion defined by the lateral wall member 16 
and the front face member 17 is press-fitted onto the lateral wall member 
6 and the front face member 7. Since both lateral wall members 6 and 16 
are frustoconical and resilient (of substantially the same shape), upon 
applying a pressure in the direction indicated by arrow 27, the side wall 
member 16 will exert a radial pressure towards the center onto the side 
wall member 6 of the other element and thereby the sloping zone 8 which 
originally had the shape shown in dotted lines (FIG. 4) will become 
flatened, such as shown in full lines and exert an upward pressure onto 
the sloping portion 18 and the channel members 11 and 20 will establish a 
strong linkage, whereby the basic unit 4 will become fully covered by 
module 15 and both are intimately linked together. 
It is also possible to provide all the modules with a channel 19' (see FIG. 
7) which surrounds the embossed portion and thereby increases the friction 
coefficient between the press-fitted members. 
Referring now to FIG. 6, it may be appreciated that here a lay-out is shown 
where a face of a woman is represented having the eyes G and H, the nose 
J, and the mouth K. The central zone L which approximately corresponds to 
a cheek, is defined by the base member, that is to say by a plurality of 
basic units 4 without cover plates and the zone corresponding to the hair 
M is a zone covered by cover plates 15 corresponding to the first and 
second type of modules. 
The module 21 is identified in a portion of the lay-out and allows the 
passage of light through the opening 23 but, on the other hand, defines an 
opaque sloping zone and finally the other type of module, that is the cap 
24, produces the effect of a dark spot in the center of a module. 
With regard to the second type of module 21, the latter is press-fitted in 
a similar way on the base member as the module 15. 
As to the fourth type of module or cap 24, the latter is simply 
press-fitted onto the projecting portion 6, 7 of the pertinent basic unit 
4. The side wall 25 of the cap, upon having substantially the same shape 
as the side wall member 6 of the basic unit 4, will obviously exert a 
radial pressure towards the center and since both members have memory, 
there will be no problem in press-fitting and linking the two elements 
together. 
Sometimes, certain color effects may have to be achieved in which event the 
third module 21' of a different color and the fourth module or cap 24 of 
another color can be used as a combination. 
On the left hand side of FIG. 6, three types of letters, namely A, B and C 
are shown, and the way in which the images of these letters are composed. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the beams 13 are actually composite beam 
members formed by the beam members 13 and 28 so as to define a shape 
similar to an H whereby the beam 28 is an inverted "U" shaped member 
preferably of larger size than the beam 13. These beams 28 define 
retaining members for two adjacent reflectors; each reflector having a 
trapezoidal shape defined by side wall members 29 which diverge from a 
base portion 31 and end in pertinent hooks 29' and 30' which overlap and 
are press-fitted into the inverted beam 28 to thus be able to assemble 
reflectors. Each reflector has a light source, such as a tubular member 32 
mounted on supports 33 (only one being visible) and which emit light beams 
towards the base member or members. 
It is obvious that if the base member 1 and the cover plates are molded of 
an incombustible plastic material, they may have different colours, so 
that upon being press-fitted together two colors may generate a third 
color and thereby certain particular effects are achieved. It is also to 
be stated that within the concept of the present invention it is possible 
that several cover plates of different colors are mounted one on top of 
the other one as basic unit 4 in order to achieve a larger variety of 
colours. 
It is also within the concept of the present invention that the decorative 
or advertising sign may consist of the members as described, but used in a 
reverse manner, so that when the concave sides of the sloping zones are 
toward the observer, the embossed zones will appear as recesses. 
It is also to be pointed out that if on small signs, texts have to be 
provided, that special modules 24 may be used wherein instead of having a 
flat front face member 26 the latter may have embossed letters or painted 
letters and/or numbers thereon. 
Although one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described 
in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not 
limited thereto. Various changes can be made in the design and arrangement 
of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention 
as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.