A SIGN SYSTEM AND A SUPPORT FOR SIGNS

Abstract: A sign system and a support (1) for signs, said support being provided with holding means for a plurality of plane, flexible sign elements (9, 10), said holding means being adapted to engage complementary holding means at opposed edges of the sign element, said support being unique in that the holding means on the support comprise two separate rows of holding pins (7, 8), said holding pins in each row being positioned at a distance from each other. It is thus simple to produce sign elements (9, 10) for such a support (1) so that the sign element, after mounting on the support, is caused to assume a bowed shape in that holding means on the sign element are formed as punched holes.

Description: A sign system and a support for signs This invention concerns a sign system of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim 1, and a support for signs defined in the introductory portion of claim 5. A known example of such sign systems or supports for signs is a system comprising a support and a plurality of elastically flexible sign elements, wherein the support is provided with U- shaped holding means spaced from each other in such a manner that the legs of the U-shaped profile substantially face each other. It is hereby possible to insert a plane, elastically flexible sign element by inserting two opposed sides of the sign element into their respective U-profiles. In this known device, the distance between the two opposed U-profiles is of such a size that the sign element, when mounted in the U-pro¬ files, is caused to assume a bowed shape, since the sign ele¬ ment is elastically flexible, and since the U-shaped holding means have a distance which is smaller than the distance be¬ tween the two opposed edges of the sign element. These known sign systems are frequently used in connection with relatively small signs, and where the sign elements are rela- tively rigid to ensure that the sign element does not easily slip in the U-shaped profiles, which may occur in particular if the U-shaped profiles extend in a vertical direction. Further, in connection with this known type of sign systems it is diffi¬ cult to mount the sign elements, because, particularly in case of large formats, it is necessary to simultaneously insert the entire length of the two opposed edges which are to be inserted into the U-shaped profile. If this is not done, the edges of the signs moreover tend to be damaged when the edge of the sign element is subsequently pressed into the U-profiles. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved sign system and a sign support which remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks. This is achieved by the sign system as defined in claim 1 or by using the support for signs as defined in claim 5. Since the sign support of the invention is provided with hold- ing means on the support which comprise two separate rows of holding pins spaced from each other in each row, it is ensured that these supports may be provided with plane, elastically flexible sign elements or mounts, as stated in claim 1, which are provided with holding means which are complementary to the holding means provided on the support and which comprise punched holes. This means that, in the mounting, individual ones of the holding pins on the support may be inserted into the punched holes of the sign element until the mounting of the sign has been completed. In addition, the holding pins ensure fixation of the mounted sign element in all directions and cause the sign element to assume a bowed shape. The term sign element generally means a sign proper and a panel onto which e.g. a poster may be applied. Claim 2 defines a sign system which is adapted to the distance between two opposed edges on standard paper formats, thereby ensuring that it is extremely simple to produce signs for the sign system using ordinary standard paper formats. It is stated in claim 3 that the mutual distances between the holding pins in each row correspond to the distance between punching means in a hole puncher for filing use, thereby ensur¬ ing that the individual signs are simple to file. When the dimension of the sign element corresponds to an A3, A4 or A5 format, it is extremely simple to produce signs in a standard photocopying machine or printer. It is stated in claim 6 that the holding means may be formed as snap locks fitting the diameter of punching means in a standard hole puncher, thereby making it possible to use such a puncher for punching filing holes. Claims 7 and 8 define expedient embodiments of the structure of a support for the signs. Claim 9 defines an embodiment of a holding pin which enables mounting of holding pins on standard profiles or the like, mak¬ ing it simple to build specially designed signs. Embodiments of the invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawings, in which: fig. 1 shows an upright support according to the invention pro¬ vided with sign elements, fig. 2 is a top view of the support of fig. 1, with sign ele- ments on both sides, fig. 3 shows a support according to the invention with a poster-sized sign, fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a holding pin for use in the in¬ vention. Thus, fig. 1 shows an upright sign support 1 having a base 2 and two vertically extending profiles 3 and 4, each of which i downwardly secured to the base 2, and which are upwardly con¬ nected with a transverse profile 5 so as to form a frame struc¬ ture with two parallel, vertically extending side profiles 3 and 4. The profiles 3 and 4 are centrally stiffened by means of a plate 6. Along part of their length the vertically extend¬ ing profiles 3 and 4 are provided with a row of holding pins 7 and 8 on which sign elements 9 and 10 are mounted, said sign elements being provided with punched holes along the edges 11 and 12 of the sign elements. As will be seen in fig. 2, which is an enlarged top view of the sign shown in fig. 1, the holding pins 7 and 8 on the sign 1 are positioned such that the sign elements 10 when mounted on the holding pins 7 and 8 are caused to assume a bowed shape, thereby obtaining a desired depth effect of the plane sign ele¬ ment 10. It is shown here how the support 1 may be provided with sign elements 10 on both sides, and it is moreover illus¬ trated how a source of light 13 may be located between the sign elements 10 to provide illumination of the sign elements from behind, if these should be fully or partly translucent. The bowed shape of the sign elements hereby ensure that the source of light is suitably spaced from the sign elements 10 so as to provide a relatively even distribution of light across the sign elements 10. Figs. 1 and 2 show formats of the sign elements which substan¬ tially correspond to the common A4 format, but the idea of the invention is not restricted to this and may be used in connec¬ tion with any type of formats. Fig. 3 thus shows a sign support 14 having a base 15 on which a sign element 16 of a relatively large format is mounted. It is shown here that the holding pins do not have to extend along the entire edges 17 and 18 of the sign element 16, it being merely necessary to have a plurality of holding pins which can suitably hold the sign element 16 in a smoothly bowed shape. However, the distance between the individual holding pins may expediently have such a size as makes it possible to punch the holes in the sign element 16 shown in fig. 3 or the sign ele¬ ments 10 and 11 shown in figs. 1 and 2 in a simple manner usin a standard hole puncher for filing use. It will thus be seen in fig. 3 that the sign element 16 is formed with punched holes at its corners, provided by means of a hole puncher for filing use which is widely used in e.g. Den mark. In view the of described idea of the invention, it is clear that a skilled person can teach many different embodiments of sign system and a sign support which provide the same advan¬ tages as are achieved in connection with the use of the presen invention. Thus, the holding pins may be formed in many differ ent ways and may e.g. be formed as a turned or moulded rota- tionally symmetrical pin, as shown in fig. 2, or e.g. as a pin bent in wire or formed of sheet material. Further, the pins ma be secured to the sign support in many different known ways e.g. by welding or screwing, or in that that the holding pins are formed as an integral unit with the support. The support may also be constructed as a lattice or frame structure established by joining standard profiles on which th holding pins 7 and 8 may be provided in the ways stated above. However, the sign may also be formed by a panel on which the holding pins may be punched or mounted. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a holding pin 7, said holding pi 7 being provided with outer threads 19 to be screwed into inne threads 20 in the associated holding ring 21, by means of which the holding pin may be mounted on a standard profile. The shown embodiments illustrate sign supports capable of standing by themselves, but the idea of the invention may equally well be applied in connection with sign supports to be hung on a wall or the like. In addition, the sign support may be formed such that the sign element, after mounting on the sign support, is given a bowed shape around a horizontal or vertical direction, or any given angle between these. The sign support may moreover be formed such that one and the same sign support allows several different orientations of the sign ele¬ ments, e.g. in upright size or oblong size.

Claims: P a e n t C l a i m s 1. A sign system comprising a support and a plurality of plane, elasticity flexible sign elements, said support being provided with two holding means positioned at a distance from each other, said holding means being adapted to engage comple- mentary holding means at two of the opposed edges of the sign element, said distance between the holding means on the suppor being smaller than the distance between the complementary hold¬ ing means on the sign element so that the sign element, after mounting on the support, is caused to assume a bowed shape, c a r a c t e r l z e d in that the holding means on the sup¬ port comprise two separate rows of holding pins, said holding pins in each row being positioned at a distance from each other, said holding means on the sign element comprising punched holes. 2. A sign system according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the distance between the two separate rows of holding means is adapted to the distance between two opposed edges on a standard paper format, and that the dimension of th sign element corresponds to the same standard paper format. 3. A sign system according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the mutual distances between the holdin pins in each row correspond to the distance between punching means in a standard hole puncher for filing use. 4. A sign system according to claims 2 and 3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the dimension of the sign element corre sponds to an A3, A4 or A5 forma . 5. A support for signs, said support being provided with hold¬ ing means for a plurality of plane, flexible sign elements, said holding means being positioned at a distance from each other and adapted to engage complementary holding means at op¬ posed edges of the sign element, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the holding means on the support comprise two separate rows of holding pins, said holding pins in each row being posi¬ tioned at a distance from each other. 6. A support according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the holding pins are formed as snap locks for insertion into punched holes in the sign ele¬ ments, said snap locks having an outer dimension which is slightly larger than the diameter of the punching means in a standard hole puncher. 7. A support according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by being constructed as a lattice or frame structure comprising rods on which the holding pins are formed or mounted. 8. A support according to any of the preceding claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by comprising a panel-shaped element on which the holding pins are formed or mounted. 9. A support according to claim 7 or 8, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the holding pin is formed with means for re- leasable mounting of the holding pin on a load-bearing struc- ture.

Inventors: SMITH ANDERS, SMITH, ANDERS
Applicants: KONTRAPUNKT AS, SMITH ANDERS, KONTRAPUNKT A/S, SMITH, ANDERS
Application year: 1995
Main classification: G09F7
IPC codes: G09F7