Abstract:
A breakaway banner support assembly for mounting to a vertical support structure having at least one mounting member connected to a support structure, a support rod extending along a generally horizontal plane for supporting a flexible banner, and a breakaway and return hinge interconnecting the support rod and said mounting member, said rod being pivotally movable along said generally horizontal plane between a display position and a breakaway position, said rod pivoting to a breakaway position in response to a force acting thereon so as to deflect said force and pivotally returning to said display position when said force dissipates.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/829,927, entitled “BREAKAWAY BANNER SUPPORT ASSEMBLY”, filed on Apr. 22, 2004 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/466,325 filed on Apr. 29, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The present invention is broadly directed to a breakaway support assembly, and more particularly, to a breakaway banner support assembly having a breakaway and return hinge to pivotally deflect any force acting on the banner so as not to transfer the force to the support structure and reduce wear on the banner.  
         [0003]     Banners, flags, and other indicia objects, hereafter referred to collectively as banners, are used to display numerous concepts, ideas, and advertisements. Municipalities, retail businesses, and other entities typically display such banners for advertising purposes, to attract shoppers, or simply for aesthetic decoration. Homeowners display banners for decorative or other purposes. In order to support such banners, it is common to provide support assemblies that can be affixed to an upright support structure, such as a light pole or building wall.  
         [0004]     Due to common placement in outdoor settings, banners and their supporting assemblies are subject to intense lateral loading during high wind conditions. The banner itself can impose a sail-like force on the support assemblies and the support structures, e.g. light poles, leading to a “dumping” of large loads into the support structures that can cause damage or breakage. If the support assembly breaks due to the increased force exerted thereon by the banner, the support structure may be damaged. If the support structure is damaged, numerous dangerous conditions could result in personal injury or property damage (e.g. breaking or cracking of the light pole, exposed wiring, sharp or jagged edges, etc). As a consequence, it is known to provide banner support assemblies with a breakaway capacity for preventing the projecting banner rods from breaking or imparting a destructive force to the support structures.  
         [0005]     There are several breakaway support assemblies that provide a one-time breakaway response to a high wind loading condition. Such structures prevent detrimental force loading onto the support structure by allowing a portion of the banner support assembly to break in response to a high wind loading condition. Thus, the portion of the banner support assembly that breaks in response to a force overload must be replaced and the banner support rods reinstalled.  
         [0006]     There are also many currently installed support structures, including fiberglass or aluminum ornamental light poles, that were manufactured with a capacity that would be considered safe with the luminaries included in that particular installation. However, the addition of a banner or flag to such a pole clearly poses a damage threat to the pole and a safety hazard should the pole break in response to increased loading forces resulting from the banner. Manufacturing new support structures to change materials and geometries to increase pole strength is costly and will increase the cost of the support structures regardless of whether the consumer intends to use such banners. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a banner support assembly that may be installed on an existing support structure and not impose a high loading force thereon.  
         [0007]     Further, there is a need to provide a support assembly that is adjustable in response to different types of wind loading conditions or banner sizes. There is a need in the art to provide support assemblies that utilize less complicated mechanisms and are attractive. Further, there is a need in the art to provide a support assembly that may repeatedly breakaway in response to high wind loading conditions and automatically return to its original position once the high wind loading condition diminishes. Further, there is a need in the art to provide a support assembly that is less expensive to manufacture and easier to use.  
         [0008]     The present invention addresses these and other needs in the art as fully described below.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention is directed to a breakaway banner support assembly comprising a mounting member connected to a support structure, a support rod extending along a generally horizontal plane for supporting a flexible banner, and a breakaway and return hinge interconnecting the support rod and the mounting member to permit the support rod to pivot between a normal display position and a breakaway position in response to a force acting thereon. The pivoting of the support rod and banner prevents the force acting thereon from transferring to the support structure or mounting member thereby preventing possible damage to the support assembly and support structure.  
         [0010]     The breakaway and return hinge of the banner support assembly of the present invention generally comprises a spring-loaded bearing connected to the mounting member, a cam member connected to the rod at one end and having a detent therein at the opposite end wherein the cam member is pivotally connected to the mounting member, and where the spring-biased bearing engages the detent to maintain the support rod in a display position where in response to a force the cam pivots relative to the mounting member so as to disengage the spring-biased bearing from the detent to a breakaway position. The construction further permits the support rod to pivotally return to the display position when the loading force dissipates.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Objects and advantages together with the operation of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations, wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1   a  is an elevational view of a light post having banner posts extending horizontally therefrom to support a banner.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1   b  is a top plan view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 1   c  is a view of  FIG. 1   b  without the luminaries and indicating wind direction extremes X and Y.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional top view of a banner rod having a breakaway hinge.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional top view of the banner rod having a breakaway hinge with the hinge in a breakaway position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     While the present invention is described with reference to the preferred embodiment of using the invention in conjunction with an outdoor support structure such as a light post, nothing in the specification should be interpreted to limit this invention thereto.  
         [0019]     With reference to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, and as best shown in  FIG. 1 , the banner support assembly, designated as  10 , generally comprises at least one support rod  12  connected to a support structure  14 , such as a light pole, and having a breakaway and return hinge  16  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) that permits the support rod  12  to hingedly breakaway in response to an increased loading force, such as a high wind loading force acting upon the banner and support rod  12 . Such a breakaway mechanism prevents the support assembly  10  from withstanding the load or transferring the load onto the support structure  14 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 1   a  shows a support structure, or in this preferred embodiment an outdoor light pole  14 , having a pair of lights mounted at the upper end thereof. One method of hanging banners  18  as shown in  FIG. 1  is to connect a support rod  12  to the light pole  14  where the support rod  12  extends from the light pole generally horizontally relative to the ground. The banner  18  is connected to the support rod  12  in a conventional manner and may also be supported from a lower support rod  12  also connected to the light pole. Thus, the information on the banner  18  can be easily displayed and the present design can be adjusted to accommodate banners of different sizes.  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c , the banner  18  is susceptible to wind forces X and Y. Wind forces X and Y can act on the banner  18  and are gathered in a sail-like manner to introduce stress on the support rod  12  and on the light pole  14 . The breakaway and return hinge  16  of the present invention enables the support rod  12  to temporarily break in response to an increased load thereon, thereby releasing the gathered wind force, and return to its original display position when the load diminishes or dissipates.  
         [0022]     Most currently available breakaway banner arms deflect under the loads imposed thereon from a wind perpendicular to the banner surface (arrow X). In this scenario, as the wind increases, a spring deflects and the banner releases, only spilling the wind off the banner surface that approached from the X direction. Unfortunately for these designs, the wind will not always come from the same direction. For example, if wind approaches the banner at 45 degrees to the banner surface as shown by Y in  FIG. 1   c , the spring will deflect allowing the banner to partially rotate and expose a larger banner surface area to the wind. Thus, the banner will prematurely release causing the banner to rotate to a position that will impose more load on the banner and into the pole. This condition could be exacerbated if the maximum allowable rotation of the breakaway hinge is 90 degrees.  
         [0023]     The breakaway and return hinge  16  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the breakaway and return hinge  16  comprises a cam member  20  having a detent  22  that engages a spring-loaded bearing  24 . While the detent  22  can have any conceivable shape, the present invention utilizes a V-shaped detent. Further, while the cam  20  is preferably circular, it can also be any other shape conducive to permitting breakaway and return of the support rod  12  to the display position. Regardless of the design, the breakaway and return hinge  16  should hold the support rod  12  in a stable display position wherein the breakaway and return hinge  16  can withstand a certain amount of force. However, in response to an overloading of force, the hinge collapses or disengages from its stable display position and is permitted to pivot to a breakaway position.  
         [0024]     Mounting member  26  is connected to the support structure  14  in any conventional manner. The mounting member  26  contains a single chrome steel ball or bearing  24 , a spring  30 , a low friction insert  28  located between the spring  30  and the bearing  24 , a retaining ring  32 , and various spacers  34 . Therefore, the compression load of the spring  30  may be adjusted using various spacers  34  to impart a particular force on the bearing  24 .  
         [0025]     The cam  20  is rotatably connected to the mounting member  26  by a pin  36  with the cam detent  22  engaging the spring-loaded bearing  24 . The pin  36  is located some distance off the center of the cam  20  along the radial position of the detent  22  to provide a spring-back force on the support rod  12  as further explained below. The cam  20  is connected to the support rod  12  along the same radial line but opposite to the detent  22  by a bolt  38 . Such a connection may also include a spacer  40  or a weld.  
         [0026]     Prior to installation, a support rod  12  is prepared to accommodate a banner  18  of a particular size that will be mounted on a light pole  14 . The pole capacity is either calculated using the AASHTO Standard specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals (AASHTO is the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) or measured experimentally by actually loading a sample pole to failure. The capacity is related to a wind speed based on calculations that include the EPA (effective projected area) and the centers of pressure as well as the elevation of each component, i.e. luminaries, brackets to support luminaries, banners, and light pole, for a lighting installation. The banner mechanism is set to allow the breakaway and return hinge  16  to breakaway at a predetermined wind speed that is well below the maximum wind capacity that will cause a failure. This breakaway adjustment is achieved through any of the following procedures: selection of a spring with a desirable stiffness, setting a spring preload by installing spacer(s) to compress the spring, changing the geometry of the detent, changing the geometry of the ball, or changing the geometry of the engagement between the ball and the detent. To control the return force, any of the following actions can be utilized: change the cam shape or diameter, change the distance of the pin location, tip the pin  36  or the cam to utilize gravity assistance in returning the arm to the display position (see below for further details), or change the spring stiffness. After installation, the support rod  12  will stay in the locked, original position until the wind reaches the predetermined breakaway speed.  
         [0027]     Thus, in operation, the mounting member  26  is mounted to a support structure  14  from which the banner  18  is to be displayed from the support rod  12 . Due to the spring-loaded design of the breakaway and return hinge  16 , bearing  24  is forced into engagement with the cam detent  22  so that the support rod  12  and the mounting member  26  are forced into an original display position alignment as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The display position is achieved by having the bearing  24  engage the detent  22  with a certain force applied by the spring  30 . The adjustable force with which the bearing  24  engages the cam detent  22  determines the wind force required to move the cam  20  relative to the spring-loaded bearing  24 , i.e. breakaway speed.  
         [0028]     As the wind approaches breakaway speed, the banner  18  imposes a force on the support rod  12  that translates a force to the cam  20 . The cam  20  then imposes a force against the bearing  24  through the detent edge. As that force increases, the detent edge acts on the bearing  24  and forces it against the spring  30  causing the spring to compress further. When the wind reaches the breakaway speed, and the spring  30  compresses, the detent  22  moves the bearing  24  axially out of engagement with the detent  22 . The bearing  24  is forced out of the detent  22  and the cam  20  pivots about the pin  36  and out of engagement with the bearing  24 . The bearing  24  stays in contact with the cam  20  due to the spring force, but the load on the entire pole drops considerably. The support rod  12  will now swing almost freely until the wind dies down.  
         [0029]     The return force will pivot the cam  20  back to the original display position. The return force is derived from the bearing  24  pushing against the cam  20  which is in an eccentric position due to the off-center pin  36 . The cam  20  will always return to the original display position as long as the return forces are larger than the friction forces resisting the motion. Therefore, the breakaway and return hinge  16  of the present invention can recover from a breakaway position shown in  FIG. 4  and return to its original display position of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Further, because the cam  20  is in an eccentric position due to the off-center pin  36 , the support rod  12  is permitted to pivot about the mounting member  26 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , to a position considerably further than 90 degrees from the original display position. Thus, the added pivotal extent of the support rod  12  allows the banner  18  an increased opportunity to deflect or spill off a high wind force.  
         [0030]     Further, the active components of the breakaway hinge, other than the cam  20 , are hidden inside the mounting member  26  or alternatively hidden inside the support arm  12 . Thus, the present invention enables the banner supporting assembly to be attractive as well as functional. Further, this construction protects the spring  30  and bearing  24  from the elements so that the hinge is less susceptible to locking up from ice, corrosion, or debris. Further, this design permits the spring  30  and bearing  24  to be “packed” with lubrication to further reduce friction if desired. Thus, actuating the hinge will also relubricate the system.  
         [0031]     The breakaway force should be set so that a banner of a certain EPA (effective projected area) will release when the wind reaches a predetermined speed. If the breakaway force is set too low, slower wind speeds will impart large enough forces to cause the cam detent  20  to overcome the bearing force and allow the banner to swing freely. Conversely, if the breakaway force is set to high, too much load from high winds can damage the pole before the cam detent  20  can overcome the bearing force. Therefore, several adjustments can be made to influence the breakaway force as determined by the depth of the detent  20 , the stiffness of the spring, eccentricity of the cam, and the preload on the spring. Thus, the current design can be used for different applications since the preload and or the spring stiffness can easily be changed or adjusted.  
         [0032]     As indicated above, the present invention can be modified by tilting the pin  36  off of a vertical axis so that the end of the support rod  12  is at its lowest vertical position at the display position and achieves a higher vertical position upon pivoting to either side of the display position. Such a modification would permit gravity to assist in returning the support rod  12  to its display position after breakaway. Further, a flexible sleeve, such as a rubber sleeve, can be placed over the breakaway and return hinge  16  of the breakaway support assembly to protect against environmental factors that could impede or harm the operation of the breakaway and return hinge  16 , such as water, dirt, ice, etc., while still permitting the hinge to pivot during operation.  
         [0033]     While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment of utilizing the invention with an outside light pole, other embodiments, modifications, and alternations that occur to one skilled in the art upon reading and understanding of this specification are covered to the extent that they fall within the scope of the appended claims.