Mobile advertising display

An apparatus that can be used to display a desired visual message along the lateral surface of a mobile vehicle, such as a truck, van or trailer includes a display panel that can be attached to tracks on the lateral surface. The display panel is suspended at the desired tension with a hook and cord assembly. Retaining rods keep the top and leading edges of the display panel connected to the tracks.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an apparatus for displaying an advertisement or 
similar graphic on a lateral surface of a moving object such as a truck, 
van or trailer. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A great variety of displays are used to exhibit advertising on the sides of 
moving vehicles such as vans, buses or tractor trailers. The displays 
typically are fabricated by painting the advertisement directly on the 
surface of the vehicle, or by applying sign panels to the surface using 
adhesives or by applying an adhesive film containing an advertisement. 
These displays are expensive, difficult to install, and difficult to 
change in timely fashion. In addition, their useful life is limited by 
constant exposure to the elements even when not in use. Rigid signs or 
signs with protective enclosures are easier to change and more impervious 
to the elements, but are cumbersome and limited in size and can often be 
prohibitively heavy. 
A number of improved displays using tensioned panels have been proposed 
which are adapted to use on mobile surfaces. These systems offer the 
ability to change the display in a more timely and efficient manner, while 
the ability to roll up the panel for easy storage or transport helps 
reduce environmental wear and prolong the display's useful life. However, 
complex and costly tensioning frames are typically required in order to 
tension the fabric panel. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,361 discloses a 
tensioning frame which employs edge rails with integral spring tensioners 
to apply tension to the periphery of an advertising panel. Besides being 
complex and prone to mechanical failure after prolonged environmental 
exposure, these edge rails protrude significantly from the mounting 
surface and may be unusable in some tractor trailer applications because 
of width restrictions. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,765 discloses another type of tensioned panel display 
which uses an elastic panel tensioned between top and bottom stays which 
are held in place by two rows of anchors. While this offers an improvement 
over the more complex mounting frame described above, it suffers from 
several disadvantages arising from the use of an elastic panel in a rigid 
mounting. It requires a complex mounting procedure and extensive 
adjustments in order to achieve and maintain the proper tensioning of the 
panel. Multiple anchors must be aligned to achieve uniform tension across 
the panel and minimize wrinkling and flutter. Stretching due to the frame 
flex inherent in large trailers necessitates frequent readjustment of the 
stays and anchors. A further disadvantage is that there is nothing, beyond 
the tension on the panel itself, to prevent the impinging air stream from 
getting under the leading edge of the panel, causing flutter, damage or 
dislocation. 
It would be advantageous if a mobile advertising display using a tensioned 
panel could be devised which provides for quick and easy installation, has 
an easily adjustable tensioning means which compensates for flexure of the 
structure on which the display is mounted, and has a sealed leading edge 
which prevents the display from being undermined by an impinging 
airstream. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The advertising display of the present invention provides, in one 
embodiment, a display panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a leading 
edge, a trailing edge, and at least one reversible surface for carrying 
images, and also a leading edge means for removably receiving a first 
retaining rod near the leading edge, a top edge means for removably 
receiving a second retaining rod near the top edge, a leading edge track 
having means for removably engaging the leading edge means for receiving a 
retaining rod, a top edge track having means for removably engaging the 
top edge means for receiving a retaining rod, a first retaining rod, a 
second retaining rod, and means disposed adjacent to the bottom edge and 
the trailing edge for tautly suspending the display panel. There is also 
provided an apparatus for displaying an advertisment, in which the display 
panel is suspended by a means disposed adjacent to bottom edge of the 
display panel. Another embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus 
for displaying an advertisement, in which the display panel is suspended 
by a means disposed adjacent to trailing edge of the display. 
The present invention provides many advantages over the prior art. 
Specifically, an embodiment of the present invention can be built weighing 
less than 50 pounds for a display which measures 48 feet by 8 feet, which 
is an improvement over the prior art. Also, after the leading edge track 
and top edge track have been installed onto the tractor trailer, 
installion of an advertising display can be accomplished in under 30 
minutes. This short amount of time to install the invention enables users 
to quickly and efficiently transfer displays depending on the desired 
routes for a specific advertisement. Finally, if the means for suspending 
the display panel breaks, is vandalized, or is missing or omitted for any 
reason, the design still affords safety for the driver of the tractor 
trailer and other motorists, as the sealed leading edge prevents the 
display panel from acting as an airfoil and being lifted away from or 
becoming detached from the tractor trailer. 
It is an object of the invention disclosed herein to provide a mobile 
advertising display using a tensioned panel, especially suited for use on 
a side of a moving vehicle, such as a truck, van or trailer. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tensioned panel 
display which is easily installed, uses simple and inexpensive parts, and 
is quickly adjusted. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tensioned panel 
display which can utilize panels of varying sizes and material 
construction. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tensioned panel 
display which is reversible. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tensioned panel 
display which can compensate for significant flexure inherent in large 
vehicles such as tractor trailers. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tensioned panel 
display that is not undermined by an impinging air stream as it moves at 
speed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a display 10 in 
accordance with the present invention installed on a tractor trailer 11. 
Display panel 20 is retained at leading edge 27 by leading edge track 30 
and at top edge 29 by top edge track 40. Display panel 20 is tautly 
suspended by means 50 at bottom edge 26 and trailing edge 28. 
Referring to FIG. 2A, display 10 comprises a display panel 20, with leading 
edge 27, top edge 29, bottom edge 26 and trailing edge 28. Preferably, 
display panel 20 comprises a vinyl laminated or coated polyester fabric 
panel, with an advertising image (not shown) applied to panel 20 using 
hand painting or computerized printing techniques. In this embodiment, 
channels 22 and 24 provide means for receiving retaining rods 34 and 44, 
respectively, and are formed by folding over leading edge 27 and top edge 
29, and stitching or otherwise hemming the overlapped portion. Display 10 
further comprises leading edge track 30 and top edge track 40. In the 
embodiment shown, these tracks engage channels 22 and 24 which hold 
retaining rods 34 and 44, thus retaining leading edge 27 and top edge 29 
of display panel 20, respectively. 
FIG. 2B shows in greater detail display panel 20 attached to leading edge 
track 30 and top edge track 40. (FIG. 2B has been somewhat simplified to 
show fewer eyelets 54 than shown in FIG. 1, and certain details have been 
exaggerated in scale over that shown in FIG. 1 for clarity of 
illustration.) Reinforced flaps 25 are attached on both faces of display 
panel 20. In a preferred emodiment of the invention, flaps 25 are sewn 
onto display panel 20. On the front face of display panel 20, a first flap 
25 is adjacent to trailing edge 29 and on the reverse face of display 
panel 20, a second flap 25 is adjacent to leading edge 27. Flaps 25 
contain eyelets 54 which are used to connect display panel 20 to trailer 
structures 60, which are not shown in FIG. 2B. Eyelets 54 are on flaps 25 
rather than leading edge 27 and trailing edge 28. Thus, when display 20 is 
mounted on leading edge track 30, air flow under display 20 through 
eyelets 54 on flaps 25 is prevented. 
FIG. 3 shows how leading edge 27 is retained by leading edge track 30 in a 
preferred embodiment of the present invention. Leading edge track 30 and 
top edge track 40 (the latter not shown in FIG. 3) comprise sections of 
extruded aluminum awning track, while retaining rods 34 and 44 (the latter 
not shown in FIG. 3) are flexible "track line" (of either a solid or 
tubular construction) designed for use with such track. Retention of 
leading edge 27 in leading edge track 30 prevents leading edge 27 from 
being undermined. Specifically, because leading edge 27 is sealed into 
leading edge track 30 and trailing edge 29 is not sealed, there is a 
negative pressure under display panel 20, allowing it to tightly adhere to 
the surface of the tractor trailer 11, which is not shown in FIG. 3. The 
top edge 24 is preferably similarly retained by top edge track 40 and 
retaining rod 44, although these are not shown in FIG. 3. 
FIG. 4 shows an enhanced view of a corner of display panel 20, where bottom 
edge 26 and trailing edge 28 meet, along with representative adjacent 
structures of trailer 70. In the embodiment shown, means for tautly 
suspending display panel 20 comprises one or more lengths of elastic shock 
("bungee") cord 52A and 52B releasably engaged by a plurality of eyelets 
54 located near bottom edge 26 and trailing edge 28 of display panel 20, 
and a plurality of S-hooks 56 connected to trailer structures 60 adjacent 
to bottom edge 26 and trailing edge 28 of display panel 20. Typically, 
trailer structures 60 are flanges found along the edges of most trailers. 
S-hooks 56 have one end hooked onto flanges 60. Two separate lengths of 
shock cord 52A and 52B are shown, engaging eyelets 54 and ends of S-hooks 
56, near bottom edge 26 and trailing edge 28, respectively. The tension in 
the trailing and downward directions can be easily and independently 
adjusted by adjusting the tension of each shock cord 52A and 52B. It would 
be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of similar 
tensioning arrangements are possible in the spirit of the present 
invention. 
FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic illustrations showing that embodiments of the 
present invention can employ display panels 20A and 20B of differing 
sizes. Different size display panels 20A and 20B allow the invention to 
meet size requirements of different trucks. Further, it is also not 
necessary to use both shock cords 52A and 52B; in some applications, one 
will suffice by adjusting the lengths of cords 52A and/or 52B. FIGS. 6A 
and 6B are schematic representations of alternative embodiments in which 
means for tautly suspending display panel 20 is disposed adjacent only to 
trailing edge 28 of display panel 20. 
A preferred method of installing an embodiment of the present invention on 
a side of a tractor trailer is shown schematically in FIGS. 7A through 7C. 
FIG. 7A shows leading edge track 30 which is attached to the side of the 
trailer, towards the leading edge 72 of the side of the trailer. Top edge 
track 40 is attached to the side of the trailer, towards the top edge 74 
of the side of the trailer. FIG. 7B shows display panel 20, which is 
delivered fan-folded or "shelled", with retaining rod 44 inserted in 
channel 24 at top edge 29. The portion of channel 24 enveloping retaining 
rod 44 is then fed into top edge track 40, starting at the end of the 
track closest to the rear of the trailer and continuing forward until 
leading edge 27 is approximately abreast of leading edge track 30. FIG. 7C 
shows a portion the channel 22 which is then fed into leading edge track 
30, and retained by sliding retaining rod 34 (preferably from the bottom) 
into the portion of channel 22 received within leading edge track 30. 
Retaining rod 34 may be held in place in the track by a cotter pin (not 
shown) or similar retaining means, but the tension on display panel 20 
should prevent retaining rod 34 from slipping out of leading edge track 
30. S-hooks 56 are hooked onto structures on the trailer adjacent to 
bottom edge 26 and trailing edge 28 of display panel 20 as shown in FIG. 
4. Such structures typically are flanges 60 which run along the bottom and 
top edges of the sides of most trailers, but other structures, such as 
holes drilled in the trailer, may suffice. Finally, shock cords 52A and 52 
B are strung between eyelets 54 and S-hooks 56, and tensioned to tautly 
suspend display panel 20 as seen in FIG. 3. 
Many other modifications and adaptations to the above-described embodiments 
within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the 
art. Thus, the scope of the invention is not to be considered as limited 
by the above-described embodiments, but rather should be determined by 
reference to the claims that follow.