Photo display device

Abstract: An improved photo display device of the type having a housing with frame and double photograph envelope providing dual photo viewing as presented within the frame, wherein an alternative picture rotating mechanism includes both a manual ratcheting system on one side of the housing and a motor drive or automatic ratcheting system on the other side. Alternatively a unitary housing/frame formation may receive a spindle assembly directly through the front frame which is then secured by side entry and snap-fit of right and left ratcheting knob assemblies.

Description: The present invention relates to a rotary-type photo display device capable of exhibiting a number of photographs in either automatic or manually controlled mode of operation. Prior types of card index device are most often characterized by the fact that only one side of the card need be displayed after indexing. US-A-1,813,442 discloses a mechanized rotary-type sign display which includes the two fields of view, i.e., the front of the top card is displayed simultaneously with the backside of the bottom card. US-A-1,126,814 discloses another form of picture display device wherein rotary cartridges each containing a number of pictures are selectively displayed. US-A-978,162 discloses yet another form of picture exhibiting apparatus wherein a multiple of pictures is rotated in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis. US-A-3,218,743 discloses a picture exhibiting apparatus that uses an album-type collection of individual photographs wherein each album can be inserted in the display device for subsequent individual viewing of the pictures. EP-A-0 066 784 is of particular interest in that it teaches a rotary menu card holder for use in a microwave oven wherein both backside and front side of the cards are presented for view as the device is flipped over. CH-A-176 167 describes a mechanism formed by a ratchet wheel, pawl and arm driving the intermittent rotation of a spindle carrying a plurality of advertising panels, in order to cause a regular sequence of the individual display of the panels. My earlier EP-A-0479444 discloses a device for storage and display of photographs, said device comprising a housing including a viewing frame defining a field of view; a spindle rotatably supported by said housing and generally bisecting said viewing frame field of view; a plurality of envelopes each having first and second transparent sides, said envelopes being hingedly secured to said spindle and each being adapted to contain first and second photographs that are viewable through said respective first and second transparent sides of said envelope, said envelopes being secured to said spindle at angularly spaced locations around said spindle and means for rotating said spindle to move successive envelopes through the viewing frame intermittently with each envelope displaying successfully a first side and then a second side so that a first photograph of one envelope and a second photograph of the next envelope can be viewed simultaneously. Starting from this document the present invention is characterised in that a ratchet wheel is secured on at least one end of said spindle assembly and is rotatable therewith; in that a ratchet arm having a first end is rotatably secured to one end of said spindle assembly; in that a ratchet pawl is provided for engagement with said ratchet wheel, whereby angular reciprocation of said ratchet arm and movement of the associated ratchet pawl will cause intermittent rotation of the associated ratchet wheel and thus move each successive envelope from the upper viewing area to the lower viewing area and in that a crank wheel, driven by a motor, is slidingly engaged with a second end of the ratchet arm to cause angular reciprocation and movement of the ratchet pawl, thereby to cause intermittent rotations of the ratchet wheel, and thus to move each successive envelope from the upper viewing area to the lower viewing area. Thus, the device is very much simplified while still offering automatic operation versus manual selection operation of the picture sequencing. The present improvements in design can use a unibody construction, i.e., the frame and housing can be integrally formed by casting or otherwise from ceramics, wood or other materials. In an alternative structure, the opposite housing sides may be formed with aligned holes so that a suitable spindle structure inserted between the holes can be operationally secured by insertion of opposite side knob structures through the holes for interlocking within the ends of the spindle assembly. A ratchet/bearing structure may be externally inserted to act in combination with the respective knob thereby to provide the necessary directional ratcheting function. The device of the invention has been found to be more reliable in operation while also exhibiting increased longevity of trouble-free service. In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of one embodiment of display device according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded side view of the display device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view in section taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a top plan view of a horizontal section taken through the spindle assembly of the device; Figure 6 is an exploded view of the spindle tube with ratchet and hub structure of the device; Figure 7A is a plan view of a photograph envelope constructed for use in the device: Figure 7B is a plan view illustrating the manner of attaching such an envelope to the spindle; Figure 7C is a side view in elevation of a spindle assembly including attachment of all photograph envelopes; Figure 8 is an exploded view of a modified spindle assembly and knob structure as installed in the housing structure, the right side knob structure being shown in section; Figure 9A is a side view of a ratchet key as used in the construction of Figure 8; Figure 9B is a top plan view of the ratchet key of Figure 9A; Figure 10 is a view in section of a spindle insert as shown in Figure 8; and Figure 11 is a view in vertical section of a knob as shown in Figure 8. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a photograph display device 10 includes a front frame 12 that is adapted for snap-fit into a housing 14. A comb 24 is formed around the inner edge of frame 12. The rectangular front frame 12 includes opposite sides 16 and 8, top 20 and bottom 22 and provides a double picture field of view. That is, the front viewing area 26 is divided into an upper area 28 for viewing a first picture and a lower viewing area 30 for displaying a second picture. Viewing areas 28 and 30 are each adapted to present standard-size photographs for viewing, e.g., 9 x 12.7 cm snapshot prints. An upper comb extension 24a provides an upper escapement from which successive photograph envelopes release. The housing 14 is unitarily formed and consists of a generally rounded back and top portion 32 continuing into a base portion 34 while having left and right side panels 36. An intermediate stiffening rib 38 is formed in the inside rear of the housing 14, the forward edge of which serves as a guide for movement of a photo/spindle assembly. A forward extension 38a of the rib 38, extends eccentrically forward and serves as the lower escapement. A plurality of housing latch members 40 are formed around the opening of housing 14 for engagement within the periphery of frame 12 upon assembly. A housing journal extension tab 42 is formed to extend from each inner side of sidewalls 36, and each of the tabs 42 includes a journal hole 43 for receiving the photo/spindle hub axle. The front frame 12 has formed on each side an inside wall extension 44 having longitudinal spindle slot 46 for the purpose of retaining the photo/spindle assembly on each side and maintaining proper alignment during operation. Finally, Figure 2 also shows at front frame 12 that the ratchet pawl 48 is molded integrally therewith. Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown an automatic or motor-driven arrangement, which is shown in operation with the spindle and photo envelope assembly in place. Thus, a spindle axle 50 is retained in ratchet arm 52 and the individual envelopes 49 are shown in circular array. An electric motor 54 is mounted in the lower rear corner of housing 14 and motor 54 provides very slow rotational output to a crank wheel 56 which has a crank pin 58 engaged within a slot 60 of crank arm 52. Motor 54 may be any of various commercially available electric motors that include necessary gear structure for providing low rpm output. Thus, it is apparent that with counter-clockwise movement of crank wheel 56, the ratchet arm 52 is driven upward as a pawl member 61 carried by ratchet arm 52 drives ratchet wheel 62 forward for one notch of the ratchet wheel such that a next-to-release envelope is pushed past the escapement block at the top comb 24 and allowed to fall to the bottom. Figure 4 shows the opposite side of the device 10, the manual operational component. This side of the spindle has a ratchet wheel 64 affixed thereon between the array of envelopes 49 and the outer axle 66. A ratchet arm actuator consists of a thumb slide 68 that is unitarily formed to extend into a ratchet arm 70 that is formed to include a return spring 72 integral therewith. Thus, both the ratchet arm 70 and the return spring 72 are inserted through the actuation slot 74 at the rear top of housing 32. A ratchet pawl 76 is affixed for movement with ratchet arm 70 as it is in engagement with the teeth of the manual ratchet wheel 64. The inner end of ratchet arm 70 includes a hole 81 for receiving the axle 66 of the spindle assembly. Thus, it is apparent that forward movement of the ratchet arm slide actuator 68 will result in engagement of pawl 76 with ratchet wheel 64 to give it a forward urging sufficient to rotate the envelope assembly sufficiently to release of a single envelope 49. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the seating of the spindle assembly, which consists of a tubular spindle 80 which receives a respective spindle hub 82, 84 inserted in each end. Each of spindle hubs 82, 84 is constructed, as shown in Figure 6, to include an axle journal 86 and an axle 50, 66 having a locking tab 90. On the left hand side of the spindle assembly, the ratchet wheel 51 fits over axle 50 as locking tabs 90 engage within locking grooves 92 on the ratchet wheel. Opposite ratchet wheel 64 is similarly locked onto axle 86 on the opposite side of the display device. The very outer ends of axles 50, 66 are then snap-fit into the holes 43 within opposite housing journal extension tabs 42 (see Figure 2). The plurality of envelopes 49 are assembled and secured onto the spindle 80 in the same manner as EP-A-0479444, with each envelope 49 of selected picture size being formed of a single sheet folded over to form one longer end and one shorter end having open left and right sides, the shorter end being sealed to the long end by a heat weld 100 drawn across one edge and spaced to leave a tab portion 102. While any suitable plastic film may be utilized to construct the spindle and envelope assembly, very good results have been achieved using poly-propylene. Figure 7B shows the individual envelopes 49 secured to the spindle 80 by successively heat welding, at 104, the tab portions 102 of a plurality of envelopes 49 therearound, to secure a single envelope 49 and a plurality of such heat welds would be distributed therearound to retain as many envelopes as desired. By using the same type of polymer for formation of the envelopes and spindle, there is brought about an easy, secure weld that enables a large number of envelopes to be secured around each spindle in close spacing with each envelope 49 freely moveable in hinge-like attachment. With about a 25 mm diameter spindle 80, as many as fifty envelopes can be secured in the array without undue crowding, thus accommodating one hundred photographs with two per envelope 49. Figures 4 and 6 show that the crank arm 70 is formed with an outwardly bent shoulder 110 from which extends a downward tab 112 to provide a journal support for spindle axle 66. Thus, the shoulder 110 provides outboard clearance around the ratchet wheel 64. At the same time, a flange bent angularly downward provides formation of the pawl 76. In Figure 3, the ratchet arm 52 is similarly formed with a shoulder bend providing clearance of ratchet wheel 62 as well as support of spindle axle 50 while a flange bend 60 serves as ratcheting pawl. In operation, the spindle 80 can be loaded so that each of envelopes 49 includes its two opposed photos, and respective spindle hubs 82 and 84 (Figure 6) are placed in spindle 80, each carrying respective ratchet wheel 62 and 64. Referring to Figure 2, the spindle/photo envelope assembly is then force-fitted into the journal extension tabs 42 extending from the side walls 36 of housing 14. Thereafter, the front frame 12 is force-fitted onto the front part of housing 14 with each of the opposite inside wall extensions 44 sliding closely adjacent the spindle hubs 82 and 84 (see Figure 5) with opposite-side spindle slots 46 sliding around the opposite side axle journals 86 (see Figure 6). The front frame 12 then snaps into place over the front of housing 14 and is clamped there by virtue of latch members 40. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, when the front frame 12 is engaged on the front of housing 14, with the spindle/envelope assemblies positioned therein, the crank arm 52 (Figure 3) will have been placed over the spindle axle 50 with pawl 60 engaging ratchet wheel 62. In like manner, the manual control on the other side of the display device will also be in proper assembly as manual ratchet arm 70 is positioned over spindle axle 66 with pawl 76 engaging the ratchet wheel 64. The display device is then fully operational and ready for either automatic or manual operation. For automatic operation, an electric switch and power source (not shown) may be energized to cause motor 54 to rotate at very slow revolutions per minute thereby to oscillate ratchet arm 52 through a series of ratchet wheel movements, each of which frees the next envelope 49 from the upper escapement 24a so that it falls down against the lower escapement 38a for the duration of a viewing pause. A picture can be viewed both in the top viewing space 28 and the bottom viewing space 30 in each instance. Manual actuation takes place in similar manner as the thumb slide 68 and ratchet arm 70 move forward against the compression of spring 72. There is a movement of ratchet wheel 64 sufficient to free an envelope 49 from the upper escapement 24a so that it falls down below against the lower escapement 38a to expose a next succession of upper and lower pictures. The spring tension of return spring arm 72 moves the slide switch 68 to its rest position and no further movement of pictures or rotation of envelopes 49 takes place until a next manual movement forward of the thumb slide 68. In Figure 8, an alternative form of spindle assembly is utilized with a unitary housing/frame assembly 120. Only the opposite side portions of the housing/frame 120 are shown for the sake of expediency; however, the overall shape of housing/frame 120 would take the same essential shape as other two-piece counterparts and the interior space, i.e., the revolving space wherein the spindle and envelopes rotate would be of the similar arcuate enclosure. The opposite sides of housing/frame 120 are fitted with equal sized holes 122, 124 near the front of housing/frame 120 and holes 122, 124 receive respective ratchet bearing insert members 126, 128 therein keyed, as will be further described. A spindle 130 for carrying dual photo envelopes, as previously described, is formed of a length that just barely fits within the opposite inner side walls or envelope guides 132 and 134 and each end of spindle 130 has a respective spindle insert 136 and 138 tightly interlocked therein. The spindle insert 136 is shown in dash-line and will be further described in relation to Figure 10. Finally, the entire assembly is completed when the opposite side knobs 140 and 142 are inserted and snapped into interlocking position, also to be further described below. Referring now to Figures 9A and 9B, the ratchet/bearings 126 and 126 are of identical construction except that they are formed as a mirror image counterpart, each having a tubular body 144 which is sized to fit within the respective holes 122 and 124, and the tubular body 144 provides a bushing surface 146 therethrough. A directional key tab 148 is formed on tubular body 144 for interlocking insertion within a keyway (not specifically shown) that is formed in the holes 122 and 124 and the side walls of housing/frame 120. A radially extending comb 150 is then formed around the outer end of tubular body 144 and from which extends a concentric ratchet pawl 152 therearound for co-action with the ratcheting knob as will be further described. Figure 10 shown the spindle inserts 136 and 138, each formed with an outer flange 154 with a barrel 156 having a plurality of interfering vanes 158 (see Figure 8) formed around the circumference to ensure a tight and relatively permanent grip inside the spindle tube 130. An inner square passage 160 as supported by sufficient webbing 162 (not specifically shown) is formed concentrically within barrel 156 for co-action with a mating square portion of the control knob, as will be further described below. Referring now to Figure 11, the knobs 140 and 142 each consist of an outer knob 166 formed on a tubular shaft 168 which consists of an outer round portion 170 for smooth engagement within bushing 146 (see Figure 9B) and a square portion 172 for locking engagement within the square inner tube 160 of the spindle hubs 136 and 138 (see Figure 10). A plurality of ratchet teeth 174 are formed around the inner edge of knob 166 for co-action with ratchet pawl 152 (Figure 9B) when assembly is complete. A quadrature array of resilient detents 176 are formed on the inner end of tubular member 168 for locking the knob assembly 140, 142 in place when fully assembled. In the assembly of Figure 8, the spindle 130 with plurality of dual picture envelopes is manually inserted into the open front frame of housing/frame 120 with the opposed spindle inserts 136 and 138 aligned with respective holes 122 and 12. The ratchet inserts 126 and 128 will already have been inserted, from outside in, into the support holes 122 and 124. Thereafter, the respective knobs 140 and 142 will be inserted through respective bushings 146 of ratchet/bearing members 126 and 128 until the circular races 170 ride within bushings 146 (each side) and the square tubing sections 172 are inserted through the inner square tube 160 of each spindle insert 136 and 138, so that their respective locking tabs expand outward in interlocking manner. When so assembled, ratchet teeth 174 within the cowl of knob 166 will engage over ratchet pawls 152 to restrict the spindle rotation to one direction, while controlling release in the opposite direction of successive upwardly disposed dual picture envelopes so that each falls downward to the lower escapement position for viewing of the opposite side photo. The foregoing discloses a novel form of picture display wherein both automatic and manual actuation may be utilized, both types of actuation being effected with a relatively basic type of mechanism. The device is capable of very reliable operation, either automatic or manual, and it is easily adaptable for use with a plurality of spindle/envelope photo combinations in what may be termed an album-type of operation.

Claims: A device for storage and display of photographs, said device comprising a housing (14,120) including a viewing frame (12) defining a field of view; a spindle assembly (80,130) rotatably supported by said housing (14,120) and generally bisecting said viewing frame field of view; a plurality of envelopes (49) each having first and second transparent sides, said envelopes being hingedly secured to said spindle and each being adapted to contain first and second photographs that are viewable through said respective first and second transparent sides of said envelope, said envelopes (49) being secured to said spindle assembly (80,130) at angularly spaced locations around said spindle and means for rotating said spindle to move successive envelopes through the viewing frame intermittently with each envelope displaying successfully a first side and then a second side so that a first photograph of one envelope and a second photograph of the next envelope can be viewed simultaneously, characterised in that a ratchet wheel (62,64) is secured on at least one end of said spindle assembly and is rotatable therewith; in that a ratchet arm (52,70) having a first end is rotatably secured to one end of said spindle assembly; in that a ratchet pawl (61,76) is provided for engagement with said ratchet wheel (62,64), whereby angular reciprocation of said ratchet arm (52,70) and movement of the associated ratchet pawl (61, 76) will cause intermittent rotation of the associated ratchet wheel and thus move each successive envelope from the upper viewing area to the lower viewing area; and in that a crank wheel (56), driven by a motor (54), is slidingly engaged with a second end of the ratchet arm (52) to cause angular reciprocation and movement of the ratchet pawl (61), thereby to cause intermittent rotations of the ratchet wheel (64), and thus to move each successive envelope from the upper viewing area to the lower viewing area. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the second end of the ratchet arm extends outwardly of the housing so that it may be manually angularly reciprocated, to cause movement of the ratchet pawl (76), thereby to cause intermittent rotations of the ratchet wheel (64), and thus to move each successive envelope from the upper viewing area to the lower viewing area. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said spindle assembly (50) further comprises a spindle tube (80) having said plural envelopes (49) secured sequentially therearound; and first and second spindle hubs (82,84) inserted into opposite ends of said spindle tube (80) and each hub engaging a spindle axle (50,66), for engagement in opposite sides of said housing open front. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that said ratchet wheel (62,64) is received onto one of said spindle axles and positioned adjacent the spindle tube. A device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said frame further comprises: top, bottom and opposite side members (20,22,16,18) joined onto a rectangular frame; first and second frame inside wall extensions (44) each disposed on a respective side member and each positioned to extend inside said housing in close alignment to a respective edge of said plural envelopes to retain photographs therein. A device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that a pawl (48) is formed integrally with said frame at a side position adjacent the spindle assembly for preventing back-up of said ratchet wheel.

Inventors: BYERS THOMAS L, BYERS, THOMAS L.
Applicants: BYERS THOMAS L, BYERS, THOMAS L.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G09F11
IPC codes: G09F11, G02B27