Abstract:
Display devices such as scoreboards having reversible display surfaces are mounted to support frames using opposing clamps each having a pivot post extending therefrom. The clamps engage one of the boards or frames with the posts being seated in openings in the other of the boards or frames. One or more latches extend between the support frames and boards to prevent rotation of the boards when in a locked position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention is generally directed to display boards of a type which are used to display information to a viewer and particularly to such displays as scoreboards having opposing display surfaces and which may be selectively mounted so that either display surface may be selectively oriented outwardly with respect to a front of a frame to which such display boards are mounted. 
     2. History of the Related Art 
     Display boards are utilized in many different environments including educational, business, recreational, transportation, commercial, retail, and home or living environments. Many displays are designed to be permanently mounted to a wall and include a single display surface upon which information may be placed or recorded. The problem with fixed display boards is that only a single display surface is utilized and therefore the amount of information which can be conveyed from a single display is limited. Further, fixed displays are not always placed in the most appropriate area to convey the information displayed thereon. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,570 to the same inventor as the present invention, a display in the form of a scoreboard system is disclosed which allows scoreboards to be either mounted on a fixed surface such as a wall or frame, or on a mobile carrier. Also, the boards associated with the system are easily removable and reversible. By providing scoreboards having a plurality of varying displays, each of which is reversible, a single system may be utilized to convey a greater amount of information and may also be utilized for a plurality of purposes which would not otherwise by possible with a system having a single display surface. In the aforementioned patent, scoreboards are reversibly mounted to a support frame such that they can carry various indicia thereon and also having various indicia or information recorded thereon. Utilizing the system, it is possible to provide boards having predetermined charts thereon of a type, for example, frequently used in the game of golf. By reversing and reorienting the various combinations of display boards, it is possible to form different charts for different types of tournament play. Such a scoreboard system therefore offers not only increased utility over prior art fixed scoreboard systems but also reduces the cost of the system as display elements provide an additional use and function. 
     In the scoreboard system discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,570 each of the scoreboard panels associated therewith is suspended from a support frame. Therefore, whenever it is desired to change the display, move a particular display panel or reverse a panel, it is necessary to manipulate the panels and remove them from the support frame. Thus, each panel must be physically lifted and then physically moved or changed to a different position, afterwhich the panel is again suspended from a support frame. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,881 also to the same inventor as the present invention, a further improvement over prior art scoreboard and other display systems is disclosed. In this patent, the scoreboard or panels are mounted in frames which are designed to be portable. The frames include wheel assemblies which allow the scoreboards to be easily maneuvered and thus positioned in any convenient space to facilitate the display of information recorded or mounted thereon. This is particularly important when utilizing the scoreboards for sporting events, such as in golf, wherein it is necessary to position the scoreboards at different locations during a tournament. 
     The panels utilized in the scoreboard systems disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,881 are similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,570 and the panels are designed to be suspended from a support frame. Thus, when it is desired to reorient the panels, the panels must be physically lifted from the frame and thereafter reversed or moved and subsequently secured to the supporting frame. 
     In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide for a display or scoreboard system which allows double sided displays to be easily maneuvered and changed so that a selected display surface may be orientated toward a viewing area but wherein the scoreboards or panels are not mounted in such a manner which require that they be physically removed from a support frame in order to reorient a display surface, thereby reducing the amount of physical effort necessary to change or reorient a panel of a given display or scoreboard. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to display or scoreboards of the type having oppositely oriented display surfaces associated therewith and which may include one or a plurality of separate display panels which are supported by a frame in such a manner that the panels may be rotated about a vertical or horizontal axis with respect to the frame in order to selectively orient the display surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, the frames in which the display panels are mounted are themselves mounted on wheel assemblies such that the entire display or scoreboard system may be conveniently moved. 
     The invention includes first and second rotary clamps which are designed having opposing jaws which define a channel there-between of a size to frictionally engage either an edge of a display panel or a component of a frame in which the display panels are mounted. Each rotary clamp also includes a generally central pivot post which extends in a direction opposite that of the clamp elements and which is designed to be mounted within an opening formed in either an edge of the display panel or in one of the components of the surrounding support frame. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one of the rotary clamps engages an upper edge of a display panel with the edge being defined by a frame which surrounds and is permanently connected to the display panel and with the pivot post extending upwardly through an opening in the upper component of the frame of the system. In this embodiment, the second rotary clamp frictionally engages a lower edge of the display panel with the post thereof being receivable within an opening formed in a portion of the surrounding support frame. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the outer support frame is slightly larger than the frame defining the edge of the display panel such that the pivot post of the upper clamp may be inserted within the opening in the upper frame component, afterwhich, the pivot post of the lower clamp is aligned with the opening in the lower frame component. Thereafter, the display panel is lowered so that the panel rests on a bearing surface associated with the lower rotary clamp. Utilizing the invention, either one or both of the rotary clamps may include bearing surfaces between the jaw elments and the pivot post associated therewith for facilitating rotation of the panel to which the pivot clamps are secured. 
     To prevent rotation of the panels within the support frame, the present invention also includes one or more latches which are pivotally mounted to one of the support frame components. Each latch includes an outer portion which is designed to engage an edge portion of the panel to thereby prevent rotation of the panel. In a preferred embodiment, the latches are provided on opposite components of the supporting frame to thereby positively prevent any rotation of the frame until the latches are pivoted to an unlocked position. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the outer support frame is mounted to standards which are supported on wheel assemblies such that the entire display or scoreboard system may be easily maneuvered. 
     It is primarily object to the present invention to provide a display or scoreboard system which includes one or more display panels which are pivotally mounted to a support frame by way of clamps which are selectively engageable with opposing edge portions of the supporting frame or the pivotable panels so that either side of the display panels may be selectively displayed by a simple rotation of the panels relative to the support frame and without having to remove the panels from the support frame. 
     It is another object to the present invention to provide a display or scoreboard system wherein the display may include one or plurality of panels which are rotatable with respect to a support frame and wherein the panels may be locked in a predetermined position by the use of latches mounted to the support frame. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better understanding of the invention will be had with respect to the drawing figures wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a display or scoreboard system including a single display panel which is mounted to a support frame carried by wheel assemblies and showing the rotary clamps and locking components associated with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, having portions broken away, taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a latch mechanism of the present invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3  and showing the latch in a locked position relative to the pivotal panel. 
     FIG. 5 is a view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3 showing the latch being moved to an unlocked position to thereby allow rotation of the panel shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the rotary clamps of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of one of the latches of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view of the latch shown in FIG.  9 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With continued reference to the drawing figures, a display or scoreboard assembly  10  is shown in FIG. 1 as including a scoreboard or display panel  11  having front and rear surfaces  12  and  13  as shown in FIG.  3 . The panel  11  includes upper and lower opposing edges  14  and  15  and side opposing edges  16  and  17  which are defined by a frame  18  which extends completely around the periphery of the panel. As shown in FIG.  1  and in cross section in FIG. 3, the frame is generally U-shaped having opposing clamping portions  19  and  20  which engage the panel such that the frame  18  is permanently secured to the panel. 
     By way of example only, the panel may be formed of a steel core having an outer porcelain coating such that indicia may be written in ink or other media on either surface  12  or  13  thereof with the media being easily removable utilizing suitable cleaners such as a glass cleaner. The display panel, however, may be formed of other material which allows displays to be placed on either side thereof such as a melamine material or other plastic or a cork or slate material mounted to a suitable core. The invention is therefore not limited to the type of material from which the display panel is manufactured. Further, each display panel may have indicia such as lines or charts already applied thereto or the material of the display panel may have magnetic characteristics allowing various magnetic signs or graphics to be applied to either surface thereof. 
     The panel  11  is mounted within a support frame  22  which may be manufactured of substantially any material such as wood, plastic or metal. In the preferred embodiment, the support frame  22  is manufacture of a hollow aluminum to make it sturdy and light weight. The frame includes opposing upper and lower components  23  and  24  and opposing side components  25  and  26  which encircle the panel  11 . In the preferred embodiment, the side components  25  and  26  extend downwardly to a carriage assembly  28  including dual wheel assemblies  30  and  31  which are mounted at the base thereof. Each wheel assembly includes a pair of outwardly cantilevered wheels which provide a sturdy base for the scoreboard or display system and which allow easy maneuvering of the system during use. The wheel assembly system may be similar to that disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,881, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     With particular reference to FIGS. 1,  3  and  8 , the display panel  11  is specifically designed to be rotated so that either surface  12  or  13  thereof is oriented from the front of the system, as shown in FIG.  1 . In this respect, the invention includes a pair or rotary clamps  32  and  34  each of which is similar in structure. Each clamp includes a pair of opposing jaws  35  and  36  which define an open channel  37  therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, each jaw includes an inwardly inclined or tapered edge  38  and  39 , respectfully, for purposes of facilitating a gripping force when the clamps are in use. To further facilitate the gripping action of the clamps when in use, each of the jaws  35  and  36  may include a slightly inwardly concaved wall portion such as shown at  40  extending along the full length thereof. The clamps may be molded from a plastic material so as to be slightly resilient but strong enough to frictionally retain an edge portion of one of the panels or one of the frame components between the jaws. As opposed to a plastic material, the clamps may also be formed of a metal material, such as aluminum, which is designed to allow a slight resiliency of the opposing jaw elements. However, the jaws  35  and  36  need not always be resilient, as the jaws may be slidingly engaged over upper and lower or side edges defined by the panel  11 . The length of each of the clamps  32  and  33  may vary depending upon the size of panel which is to be supported thereby. 
     Each of the clamps  32  and  34  also includes a pivot post  42  which extends in a direction opposite that of the open channel  37 . The pivot post is shown as being cylindrical and extending upwardly from a flat bearing surface  44  which is formed at the base of the post along an outer surface  45  of each clamp. The bearing surface  44  will allow for ease of pivotal movement of a frame or display panel relative to the clamp. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the display panel  11  is designed to be pivoted about a vertical pivot axis A—A which extends through a line between the pivot posts  42  of each of the clamps  32  and  34 , as shown in FIG.  1 . In this embodiment, clamp  32  is frictionally mounted over the upper edge  14  of the panel  11  such that the opposing jaws  35  and  36  are engaged against the opposing jaws  19  and  20  of the frame  18  which is secured to the panel  11 . An opening  50  is provided in a central portion of the upper frame component  23  in which the pivot post  42  of clamp  32  is selectively received. In a like manner, clamp  34  is frictionally mounted over the lower edge  15  of the frame  11  being seated against the opposing jaws  19  and  20  of the frame  18 . The post  42  of the clamp  34 , in this embodiment, is inserted within a hole or opening  52  which is in the center of the lower frame component  24  so as to be aligned along the axis A—A with the opening  50  in the upper frame component  23 . The pivot shaft  42  of clamp  34  may be somewhat shorter than the pivot post of clamp  32 . This is to facilitate mounting of the panel  11  with respect to the support frame. 
     To install the panel within the support frame, after the clamps  32  and  34  are in place, the panel is lifted such that the post  42  of clamp  32  enters the opening  50  in the upper frame component  23  and the panel is completely elevated and then swung such that the post  42  of the lower clamp  34  is aligned with the opening  52 . Thereafter the panel is lowered so that the panel rests on the bearing surface  44  of the clamp  34 . To remove the panel, the panel is simply raised such that the bearing surface of the upper clamp  32  engages the frame component  23  which allows the pivot post of clamp  34  to clear the frame component  24  so that the panel  11  may be moved out of engagement with the supporting frame. 
     It should be noted that, as opposed to rotating about a vertical axis A—A, the panel  11  may be rotated about a horizontal axis by mounting the clamps  32  and  34  along the opposing side edges  16  and  17  thereof and by providing aligned holes or openings in the side components  25  and  26  of the support frame. 
     Also, as opposed to mounting the clamps  32  and  34  to the panel  11 , the clamps may be mounted to the components of the supporting frame. By way of example, clamp  32  may be clampingly engaged along the upper frame component  23  with the pivot post  42  thereof being inserted within an opening provided in the frame  18  which extends around the panel  11 . In this embodiment, the lower pivot clamp  34  would clampingly engage the lower frame component  24  of the support frame with the pivot post  42  thereof engaging within an opening provided in the lower edge defined by the frame  18 . 
     To prevent rotation of the panel once the panel is installed within the support frame, the present invention also incorporates at least one latch  70  although, in the preferred embodiment, a pair of latches  70  are disclosed in drawing FIG.  1 . With particular reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, each latch includes an upper surface  71  and a lower surface  72  which are generally flat and which extend from an opening  73  at one end thereof to an outer end portion  74 . The outer end is formed as a depending flange  75  having a convex curvature oriented outwardly relative to the opening  73 . To facilitate the manipulation of the latches  70 , each latch includes a projection  78  which is engageable to pivot the latch relative to a fastener, such as a screw  80 , see FIGS. 4 and 5, by way of which the latches are secured to the components of the outer support frame. The fasteners  80  are inserted through the openings  73  and thus provide a pivot shaft for the latches when in use. To further facilitate the pivoting action of the latches, a bearing surface  79  may be provided in surrounding relationship with respect to the opening  73  along the inner surface  72  thereof. 
     With specific reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, to prevent the rotation of the panel  11  relative to the supporting frame, the latches are pivoted such that an inner edge of the flange  75  generally abuts an inner surface of the frame  18  which surrounds the panel  11 . To permit rotation, the latches  70  are pivoted away from the panel  11  as shown in FIG. 5 utilizing the projections  78  associated therewith. By providing latches on opposite side components of the support frame, the panel  11  is securely retained in an adjusted position such that various information may be applied to the surface of the panel without the panel rotating about the pivot axis A—A. 
     Although the latches  70  are shown as being mounted on the side components  25  and  26  of the support frame  22 , the latches may be applied along the upper and lower frame components  23  and  24  and still provide the locking feature for preventing rotation of the display panel. 
     Although a single display panel  11  is shown in the drawing figures, it should be noted that the system of the present invention may be utilized with a plurality of panels with each panel incorporating two of the pivot clamps  32 ,  34  for mounting the panels relative to the support frame. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by all of the embodiments encompassed within the following claims and their equivalents.