Abstract:
A media display assembly that includes a base assembly, including a base and a steel plate that forms a front surface of the base assembly and is removably affixed to the base, and wherein the base defines a set of resiliently deformable inwardly facing side surfaces. A cover, including a sheet having transparent display portion, is fit and held by tension between the resiliently deformable inwardly facing side surfaces. Finally, display media is interposed between the steel plate and the cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A type of display board is currently available for providing an interchangeable background, covered by a transparent acrylic sheet. In one style of this type of board, the acrylic sheet is mounted to a hinge at its top, and retained by magnets at its bottom. The magnets are attracted to a steel sheet that is about 0.32 mm thick, to which the acrylic sheet hinge is also mounted. To provide or change the semi-permanent display, the cover is opened and printed media, in the form of printed coated paper or polymeric material is placed over the steel sheet, and the Plexiglass cover is closed. This provides the user with a board having a printed background, but that he can write on with a marker, and later erase. As an example, a basketball coach may want a board having a basketball court scheme as a background, upon which he can draw basketball plays. Using the board described above he could order a basketball court scheme on cardboard or polymeric media and place it between the metal backing and the acrylic sheet cover, close the cover, and then mark the plays on the acrylic sheet. During football season the board could be provided with a football scheme background and provided to the football coach, who could draw football plays on it. In a medical environment, a board assembly in an ear, nose and throat specialist&#39;s office could be used to show a background media of the human throat, permitting the physician to mark on the clear plastic over this media, to illustrate a throat procedure. The same style of board could be used in a cardiologist&#39;s office with media showing the interior of the human heart, to permit the cardiologist to explain a cardiac procedure to a patient. 
     Unfortunately, many of the available boards of this nature are problematic. First, many include a wood backing to the steel sheet, thereby making the board quite heavy. Moreover, wood forming a portion of the board causes the board&#39;s use to be prohibited in many portions of a hospital, including patient rooms. Any porous material, such as wood, provides places for microbes to dwell, where it is difficult for sanitizing agents to reach. Also, as the principal structure of the board is wood, the steel sheet tends to be quite thin, on the order of a third of a millimeter. Also, a frame is generally used to hide the layered construction from users, and to forestall potential delamination. This adds to the weight of the board and provides additional covered areas for harmful microbes to live. 
     Further, in some hospital rooms a “terminal cleaning” is performed when a patient with a highly infectious condition is discharged. In this procedure, everything in the room is hosed down with bleach. Boards that include wood or a laminated panel as part of their construction tend to be damaged by being exposed to large amounts of bleach water. In like manner, boards containing wood may also be more vulnerable to becoming warped if left outside in the rain, as an advertising sandwich board might be left. 
     Finally, the differing coefficient of thermal expansion of the wood versus the steel sheet tends to cause warping in the steel sheet. It appears that this has necessitated the use of a thicker acrylic sheet than would otherwise be necessary, so that the weight of the acrylic sheet can hold the media in place, even against an uneven backing surface. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
     In a first separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of a media display assembly that includes a base assembly, including a base and a steel plate that forms a front surface of the base assembly and is removably affixed to the base, and wherein the base defines a set of resiliently deformable inwardly facing side surfaces. A cover, including a polymeric sheet having transparent display portion, is fit and held by tension between the resiliently deformable inwardly facing side surfaces. Finally, display media is interposed between the steel plate and the cover. 
     In a second separate aspect, the present invention may take the form of a display assembly that includes a base made of polymeric material, having a front wall of at least one hundred square centimeters in area, and a peripheral frame extending further forward than the front wall, the frame including a rearward extending base peripheral wall of at least 0.5 cm height a set of resiliently deformable inwardly facing surfaces, the front wall having a front surface and having recessed regions, wherein the recessed regions are recessed such that the back of the recessed regions extend at least as far back as the peripheral wall at its furthest rearmost extent, so that when the base is placed against a flat surface the back of the recessed regions touch the flat surface. A generally transparent polymeric cover is fit and held by tension between the resiliently deformable inwardly facing surfaces and display media is interposed between the base and the cover. 
     In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a first preferred embodiment of a display assembly, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is an isometric front-top view of a cover for the display assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2B  is an isometric front-top view of a cover for the display assembly  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  is a sectional view of the periphery of an embodiment of the cover of  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         FIG. 3B  is a sectional view of the periphery of an alternative embodiment of the cover of  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         FIG. 3C  is a sectional view of the periphery of an additional alternative embodiment of the cover of  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         FIG. 3D  is a sectional view of the periphery of another additional alternative embodiment of the cover of  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         FIG. 3E  is a sectional view of the periphery of yet another additional alternative embodiment of the cover of  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a second preferred embodiment of a display assembly, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the display assembly of  FIG. 4 , taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the display assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a display assembly according to another alternative embodiment of display assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the display assembly of  FIG. 7 , taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view of yet another alternative embodiment, taken along a line corresponding to line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of still another alternative embodiment of a display assembly. 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 , taken along line  12 - 12 . 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows an exploded sectional side view schematic representation of a media display board assembly  10  according to the present invention. A generally transparent polymer or tempered glass cover  12  includes embedded magnets  18  and  20  that retain cover  12  on a steel plate  13 , which serves both as a magnet anchor and as the principal support of the media display board. Steel plate  13  is preferably of 26 to 35 gauge steel. Cover  12  is held in place by a set of rare earth magnets  20  (only one shown). A false border  18  is formed or printed on cover  12 . This provides an impression of a frame to a user, while avoiding the added weight of the frames of prior art boards. Magnetic media  23  may be applied directly against steel plate  13  or on cover  12 . 
     The assembly  10  and system described above have many advantages. Using the steel plate  13  as the structural support as well as the magnetic backing permits the creation of a lighter board, relative to currently available boards, of roughly one pound per square foot of board, versus about two pounds per square foot of board for currently existing boards. Further, because a thicker steel plate is used, more magnetic attraction is formed with the same power magnet. As a result media may be magnetically retained on the exterior of the polymeric cover  12 . This permits a system including magnetic media  23 , designed to be stuck to the outside of the cover  12 . For example, in a hospital setting, an assembly  10  can be provided on the door of each patient room, and magnetic media advisories can be attached as desired. For example, magnetic media  23  advisories for MRSA, could be kept on hand and deployed on assemblies  10  as required, to effect a warning to health care workers. Such magnetic media could be fashioned to be very prominent and to catch the attention of medical workers, more so than a simple message written using a marker. A magnetic media background  24  can be deployed directly on plate  13 , to provide a semi-permanent background. For example, in the example given above, this could be provided for each room board  10 , and changed seasonally to reflect different hospital initiatives. 
     In one embodiment plate  13  may be “dimpled”—that is, looking at plate  13  from the front a number of indents would visible, and viewing from the rear, corresponding protrusions. These dimples both create some depth for plate  13  and provide a number of places where a drill can be used to broach plate  13 , to permit the introduction of a fastener such as a wood screw, which may then by screwed into a wall  26  to support assembly  10 . Also, a tray on the bottom of assembly  10  may be provided to hold markers and an eraser. In a preferred embodiment, this tray is attached lightly, so that it can easily snap off, and is made with edges that have all been blunted, as the steel trays currently in use have proven to be a hazard to those working with these boards, as some have been cut by the steel trays. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show a front and rear view, respectively, of a cover assembly  110  that includes a frame  112 , which includes a rearward extending peripheral wall  114 , the upper, horizontal portion of which permits assembly  110  to rest on the upward surface of steel plate  13  ( FIG. 1 ). A clear polymeric or tempered glass panel  116  is thereby kept in front of plate  13 , when desired.  FIGS. 3A-3E  show a detailed sectional view of each of five different configurations ( 112   a - 112   e ) for the frame  112 . The purpose of these differing frames is to permit the assembly  110  to hang from the steel plate  13 , to present an aesthetic appearance and to provide a border. In a preferred embodiment the frame  112  is opaque and colored, to provide the illusion of an entirely separate frame. The protruding portion of frames  112   a ,  112   c  and  112   e  is ¾ of an inch wide, and for all frames  112   a - 112   e  the protruding portion juts out ¼ inch from panel  116 . For frame  112   b  and  112   d , the protruding portion is ½ inch wide with a sloping portion  117  adding another ½ inch of width. All peripheral walls  114   a - 114   e  extend to the rear by ¾ of an inch. From the side, for example viewed from a distance down a corridor, the entire assembly  10  will appear to be a solid unit protruding from the wall. In one preferred embodiment, peripheral wall  114  includes a flange extending inwardly toward the center of assembly  10 , so that it interlocks with plate  13 . Corners  118   a  and  118   b  have a radius of curvature of ⅛ inch, whereas  118   c  and  118   d  have a radius of curvature of ¼ inch. All of the corners of  110   e  are sharp, right angles. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , in an alternative preferred embodiment of a display assembly  210  a base  212  made of polymeric material includes a set of channels  214  and a peripheral wall  216 , configured so that if the backside  220  of base  212  is pressed against a flat surface, both the back side of channels  214  and the furthest extent of peripheral wall  216 , which are flush with each other, will lie flush on the flat surface. This permits easy attachment of base  212  to a wall, door or other surface, by means of a set of screws driven through the base  212  at one or more channels  214 . A set of magnets  218  are either fastened to the backside  220  of base  212 , inculcated into the polymeric material of base  212  or mounted in apertures in base  212 . A steel plate  222  is then placed onto base  212  and is retained by means of magnets  218 . Printed media  230 , which in a preferred embodiment is rigid, is placed over plate  222 , and retained by a generally transparent cover  240 , made of polymer or tempered glass, that includes a peripheral rearward extending wall  242  that is retained by a slight pressure against peripheral wall  216 , and by the top portion of peripheral wall  216  holding up the top part of peripheral wall  242 , which rests upon wall  216 . The assembly further includes magnetic elements  250 , for placing on cover  240 , and having some graphical information on the side that is then visible to a viewer, to provide some indication to the viewer. 
     The many advantages of assembly  210  may now be considered. The entire assembly can be quite light, as base  212 , printed media  230  and cover  240  can be made of lightweight polymeric material and steel plate  222  can be as little as 0.1 mm thick, as in the embodiment of assembly  210  plate  222  is not used for structural support. If it is to be used in a hospital room, assembly printed media can indicate where information can be written on cover  240  with a marker provided for this purpose. If a patient is allergic to a medicine or a food, a magnetic element  250  bearing this information in a bright and bold manner may be placed on cover  240  and retained by magnetic force to plate  222 , thereby providing a very clear warning, that may be very difficult to fail to notice. In this manner a hospital can facilitate the task of the medical staff in ensuring that health care workers are clearly notified of the many important factors that must be taken into account in providing patient care. This is always a huge challenge in a busy hospital that must provide appropriate service to a broad array of patients having many idiosyncrasies in their conditions. Also, because no wood or laminated materials are used in assembly  210  it can be exposed to water, for example during a terminal clean, or as an outside display periodically exposed to rain or cleaning fluids, without fear of damage being incurred. 
     Because it is releasably retained by magnets  218 , steel plate  222  does not obstruct installation of base  212 , and further permits easy removal in the event that assembly  210  and the set of screws must be accessed for removal. Also, assembly  210 , could be prepared with a graphic representing an organ or the human body as whole on printed media  230 , thereby serving as an educational material that directly benefits patients. Such an assembly  210  would permit a physician to mark on the cover  240 , for example to help explain a procedure to a patient, thereby greatly facilitating physician patient communications. Further, such an assembly could display the name of a pharmaceutical company or a pharmaceutical and could be distributed as a service to hospitals by a pharmaceutical company, without violating current law. 
     Further, using a set of assemblies  210 , it would be possible to implement a system and method in a hospital for increasing staff awareness of patient conditions requiring special measures. Each of a set of patient rooms is equipped with an assembly  210  for each bed in the room. When a new patient is admitted to the room, patient identifying information is written on the cover  240  with markers that are also provided. Then, if the patient has a condition requiring special treatment, such as MRSA, a magnetic element  250 , taken from a set of magnetic elements  250  provided, which collectively can provide warning for any one of a number of different conditions requiring special treatment is stuck on the cover  240  and retained magnetically by magnetic attraction to steel plate  222 . Elements  250  may be color-coded by condition type and each may bear a distinctive design, so that a medical staff member is quickly made aware of the patient condition or conditions requiring special handling. 
     In a further detail, a pair of raised areas  260  in a transverse one of channels  214  facilitates attachment of a tray for markers. Such a tray is made of polymeric materials and is wedged into channel  214  and held in place by the channel walls and by raised areas  260 . In like manner, a pair of raised areas  270  in a longitudinal channel facilitate the attachment of a marker tray if the board is oriented so that it extends horizontally more than vertically. The advantage of a marker tray made of a polymer and held in a channel by raised areas  260  or  270  is that if a person accidentally walks into such a tray it is easily dislodged. Accordingly, it is far less likely, both because of the softer polymeric material used and because it is more easily dislodged to injure a person who encounters it. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , in an alternative embodiment of a display assembly  210 ′, border  216 ′ is raised up relative to islands  217 , so that a space is defined for steel sheet  222 , display materials  230  and cover  240  can be fit and be retained by the resilient deformability of border  216 . In a preferred embodiment, as shown, a lip  242 , also helps to retain cover  240  in place. Border  216 ′ is deformed slightly as elements  222 ,  230  and  240  are positioned, and then resumes its previous shape, retaining these elements. Elements  214 ,  218  and  270  are the same as in the previously described embodiment. Cover  240  is the same as in previously described embodiment, except for that it is a flat sheet and does not have a rearwardly extending peripheral wall. Cover  240  may be made of polymeric material or tempered glass, and includes a pullout element in the form of a tab at the bottom, by which a user may pull outwardly on the tab to pull cover  240  out from frame  216 ′. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the pullout tab is attached to the steel sheet  222 , so that pulling on it brings all of the elements out from base  212 ′. A similar pullout element is provided in the embodiments described below. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , in another embodiment  211 , base  212 ′ and elements  222  and  230  are the same as in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , but an alternative cover  240 ″ that fits generally conformally over base  212  and display media  230  is provided. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11-13 , in a still further alternative embodiment of a display assembly  210 ″, elements  222 ,  230  and  240  are the same as in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , but the base  212 ″ is different as margin  216 ″ takes the form of a thinner sidewall, then the raised margin  216 ′ of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 . Sidewall  216 ″ has enough resilient deformability to stretch slightly to permit elements  222 ,  230  and  240  to be put in place, and then retained by pressure from sidewall  216 ″. For the embodiment of  FIG. 10  and this embodiment, elements  214 ,  218  and  270  are the same as for the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . For embodiments  210 ,  210 ′ and  210 ″ the steel sheet  222  is optional. 
     In a further aspect, the may be present in any of the embodiments  10 ,  210 ,  210 ′,  211  or  210 ″, a “keying” scheme may be used to restrict that use of the assembly to display materials from a single source. For example an element of a particular shape may extend out of margin  216 ′, so that only display material having a matching shape will fit into the available area. The affordable care act greatly restricts the goods that pharmaceutical companies can provide for free to doctors to those goods that may be directly used to help patients. If the use of the display assembly  10 ,  210 ,  210 ′,  211  or  210 ″ is restricted to printed material that is provided directly by a pharmaceutical company and that aids the doctor in explaining a health condition, then this type of gift may be allowed. It is a particular advantage that the doctor can write on transparent cover  240  (or  240 ′) to help explain a medical condition or treatment. 
     While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those possessed of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.