Abstract:
A portable, foldable, self-standing A-frame barrier and display panel, preferably made up of a single sheet of corrugated material scored and folded along a number of parallel lines to create multiple upright panel sections. When folded to form the A-frame structure, the device is capable of serving as both an upright barrier and a display board. Two side panel sections meet along an apex edge that preferably incorporates retractable handles. Two base panel half sections are folded so as to have their edges meet in the formation of a base support. Elastic cord assemblies are incorporated into the base sections to draw the sections together and to facilitate retention of the A-frame in an upright configuration. Hook ends on the elastic cord assemblies facilitate retention of the A-frame in position on a flat surface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application 61/946,836, filed Mar. 2, 2014, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to portable signs and barriers incorporating informational and/or advertising display panels. The present invention relates more specifically to a portable, foldable, self-standing A-frame barrier and display panel used for sectioning off an area and for advertising or presenting information to the public. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Efforts have been made in the past to provide portable barriers designed to section off areas and to generally control the movement of individuals and groups within a defined space. Efforts have also been made to incorporate advertising and\or promotional materials on such barriers. Of the few systems of this nature that are available, and which provide barriers and printed graphics (such as sponsor graphics used at events), most are not structured to provide both durability and portability at the same time. Those devices that do provide some level of durability and ruggedness are generally constructed with separate rigid frames onto which display panels are secured. This limits portability and increases cost. Those devices that provide portability and low cost are generally not as durable and tend to wear out quickly, unable to remain self-supporting for more than a few repeated uses. 
     It would be desirable to have a portable, foldable, self-standing A-frame barrier and display panel that could be used for sectioning off an area and for advertising or presenting information to the public. It would be desirable if such a device could be both durable and portable. It would be desirable if such an A-frame barrier could be easily manufactured at a low cost. Such an A-frame barrier would preferably be easy to set-up and take-down and would be light enough to be carried by one or two people. It would be desirable for such a product to be easily moved into position and set up as well as collapsed and moved to a storage location. It would be preferable that such a device could be used in conjunction with many additional similar devices that might be placed end to end to provide a larger barrier and advertising display. It would be desirable for such a product to incorporate elements that facilitate the set-up of the panel and assist in the retention of the panel/barrier upright in its display condition and position on a flat surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In fulfillment of the above and further objectives the present invention provides a portable, foldable, self-standing A-frame barrier and display panel that is made up of a single sheet of corrugated material that is scored and folded along a number of parallel lines to create four panel sections that, when folded, form an A-frame structure suitable as a barrier and a display board. Two side panel sections meet along an apex edge that preferably incorporates retractable handles. Two base panel half sections are folded so as to have their edges meet in the formation of a base support. Elastic cord assemblies are incorporated into the base sections to draw the sections together and to facilitate retention of the A-frame structure in an upright condition. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is constructed from a single 8′×8′×0.5″ heavy duty corrugated plastic sheet. A number of elastic cord assemblies are incorporated into the base of the folded structure to facilitate its establishment and subsequent collapse. Hooks on the ends of the elastic cords may be used to secure the A-frame barrier in place on the ground or other flat surface. Display indicia may be printed directly on the upright display panels of the device or may be separately secured to the device using removable adhesion surfaces or the like. Multiple A-frame barriers may be used to create a longer barrier and may be collapsed and stacked to reduce storage volume. Other features and benefits of the device of the present invention are made clear from the attached drawing figures and the detailed description of the same that follows below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an assembled and established frame structure of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an assembled frame structure of the present invention undergoing a first method of collapse from the position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an assembled frame structure of the present invention undergoing a second method of collapse from the position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an assembled frame structure of the present invention after completion of the second method of collapse shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the corrugated panel component of the frame structure of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6A  is a bottom perspective view of an assembled and established frame structure of the present invention showing placement of elastic cord retention components. 
         FIG. 6B  is a bottom perspective view of an assembled frame structure of the present invention showing the elastic cord retention components as the frame is being collapsed. 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed perspective view of the hook end structure of an elastic cord retention component of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a detailed perspective view of the center hinge section of an elastic cord retention component of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Among the goals of the present invention are structural strength and durability within an easily setup and readily portable A-frame barrier and display panel. While the display panel must be foldable in order to be portable, it is important that the structure, when assembled, is both strong and durable. As indicated above, the structure will be subjected to repeated foldings and unfoldings as the portable A-frame and display panel is repeatedly setup and taken down. Insofar as the structure of the present invention is intended to be self-standing, that is, it is not to include any separate internal frame structure, the material utilized to create the panels from which the structure is manufactured are preferably corrugated sheets of material. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, such corrugated sheets are made up of plastic materials forming what is commonly known as corrugated plastic, an example of which is manufactured and marketed under the Coroplast® brand. Such material is available in a variety of sheet sizes that may be cut down and folded into a variety of configurations. In the present invention, the preferred material for construction of the A-frame barrier and display panel is an 8′×8′×0.5″ heavy duty corrugated plastic sheet. Those skilled in the art, however, will recognize that other types of rigid or semi-rigid panels may serve as the construction material for the A-frame barrier and display panel of the present invention. Corrugated cardboard may serve the requirements of the present invention, although the durability of the same may be significantly reduced. In addition, those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide range of finished sizes are possible that all adhere to the basic construction design elements described herein. 
     Reference is made first to  FIG. 1  which provides a perspective view of a fully assembled and established A-frame structure of the present invention. In this view, the panel is shown as it would appear in use before the public with various advertising indicia included.  FIG. 1  shows self-standing signage frame  10  as being constructed of folded corrugated panel  12 , made up of front side display panel  16 , back side display panel  18 , as well as base back panel  20   a  and front base panel  20   b . Retractable handles  14   a  &amp;  14   b  are shown slidingly positioned through apertures  15  on frame apex fold edge  22  between front side display panel  16  and back side display panel  18 . 
     As described in more detail below, the structure of self-standing signage frame  10  is generally made up of a single panel of folded corrugated panel  12  that is scored, folded, and arranged into the A-frame structure shown in  FIG. 1 . A first fold is made along frame front base fold edge  24   b  with a second middle fold made at frame apex fold edge  22 . A third fold is made at frame back base fold edge  24   a  and the outside (now internal) edges of the base, shown as back base panel edge  26   a  and front base panel edge  26   b , are aligned and flexibly secured together (in a manner described in more detail below) to form the base of the A-frame structure. 
     In the fully established form as shown in  FIG. 1 , display indicia may be placed on front side display panel  16  as well as back side display panel  18 . Multiple A-frames may be positioned and placed in line adjacent to each other to form long barrier rows with continuous advertising indicia placed either individually on each A-frame structure, or as part of an assembled advertising panel with indicia on one display frame visually connected to the next. 
     Movement of the portable A-frame panel, once setup, may be easily achieved by lifting retractable handles  14   a  &amp;  14   b  within their slideable position retained in apertures on frame apex fold edge  22 . These retractable handles  14   a  &amp;  14   b  may simply be U-shaped wire handles with bends or hooks interior to the panel to prevent their removal. In the preferred embodiment, the handles are formed of  16  gauge galvanized metal and holes are drilled along frame apex fold edge  22  to accommodate the handles in a sliding extension or collapsing manner. 
     Advertising indicia  17   a  &amp;  17   b  presented on front side display panel  16  and/or back side display panel  18  may be pre-printed onto the corrugated panels (see  17   a ) or may be secured to the surfaces (see  17   b ) using any of a variety of removeably adhesive materials. Hook and loop attachment type strips  19  may be secured to either or both front and back sides of the display panel to secure removable sheets  21  incorporating mating hook and loop attachment surfaces. 
     Folding the portable self-standing signage frame of the present invention may be accomplished in either of two methods shown in  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 . In  FIG. 2  self-standing signage frame  10  is folded into a more compact configuration by drawing back base panel edge  26   a  and front base panel edge  26   b  upwards at the same time that frame apex fold edge  22  is drawn upwards (as indicated by arrows in  FIG. 2 ). This draws frame back base fold edge  24   a  and frame front face fold edge  24   b  towards each other, collapsing front side display panel  16  against back side display panel  18  with back base panel  20   a  and front base panel  20   b  folded inside between the two display panels  16  &amp;  18 . This process of folding the panel maybe easily accomplished by lifting on retractable handles  14   a  &amp;  14   b  and simultaneously lifting at a point between back base panel edge  26   a  and front base panel edge  26   b . This method of folding results in a storable device that is generally flat with dimensions that of front side display panel  16  as shown. 
     Reference is next made to  FIG. 3  for an alternate manner of folding the self-standing signage frame  10  of the present invention that, though it results in a larger configuration for storage, does result in a flatter configuration and one that can be lifted by the retractable handles without gravity opening the collapsed device up in the process.  FIG. 3  shows self-standing signage frame  10  again being lifted by retractable handles  14   a  &amp;  14   b  so as to draw front side display panel  16  against back side display panel  18  folding along frame apex fold edge  22 . Back base panel  20   a  likewise folds against front base panel  20   b , but this time back base panel edge  26   a  and front base panel edge  26   b  drop down and out from between the panels instead of being nested up between the panels. To the extent that gravity plays a part in folding the signage frame of the present invention, the method shown in  FIG. 3  tends to be the more efficient method if the larger profile of the folded structure can be tolerated. 
     The folded structure resulting from the method of collapsing shown in  FIG. 3  is shown in  FIG. 4 . In this view, front side display panel  16  is shown fully collapsed against back side display panel  18  as back base panel  20   a  is shown fully collapsed against front base panel  20   b . Once again, the collapsed configuration shown in  FIG. 4 , though larger in profile, does provide for a more efficient manner of rapidly collapsing the signage frame, as well as providing for flatter storage whereby multiple frames may be easily stacked one on top of the other in an entirely flat configuration. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the corrugated panel component  12  of the frame structure of the present invention, highlighting the score and fold lines associated with the initial construction and assembly of the A-frame barrier and signage display. As indicated above, the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes an 8′×8′×0.5″ sheet of corrugated plastic material with three score/fold lines forming a total of four panel components. Frame back base fold edge  24   a  provides an initial score/fold line, while frame front base fold edge  24   b  provides a second score/fold line. Finally, frame apex fold edge  22  provides the third and middle score/fold line that allows the full construction of the A-frame barrier. 
     Once again, in the preferred embodiment, with an 8′×8′ sheet of corrugated material, the triangular A-frame structure is established by creating three rectangular sides (two sides and a base) each 8′ in length and 32″ in width. The base of the structure is, of course, made up of two 16″ wide panels (back base panel  20   a  and front base panel  20   b ) which come together to form the 32″ wide base. Front side display panel  16  and back side display panel  18  are each 8′ long and 32″ wide in the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the dimensions described in the preferred embodiment are not critical to the structural integrity of the display panel and barrier and are simply dimensions readily attainable using available 8′×8′ sheets of corrugated plastic material. Alternate embodiments 4′ long instead of 8′ long are anticipated, as are larger and smaller structures utilizing the same or similar length to width and height ratios of the preferred embodiment. 
     With any of the dimensions, the corrugated panel  12  utilized to construct the A-frame barrier is preferably scored (partially cut through its thickness along a score/fold line) on one side so as to permit the easy folding of the panel along a straight edge line. The direction of the corrugations are important for various methods of assembly and retention described in more detail below, but are otherwise not important as far as scoring and folding are concerned. Absent retention mechanisms described below, the panel may be scored and folded either with the corrugation channels or across the corrugation channels. Insofar as the basic structure of corrugated sheet material involves two flat surfaces with channels extending between them, either of the flat surfaces may be scored while the remaining flat surface remains intact to form a flexible hinge structure suitable for repeated folding and unfolding. 
     Reference is next made to  FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B  as well as  FIGS. 7 &amp; 8  for a detailed description of a preferred manner of assembling and facilitating the secured setup of the display panel of the present invention utilizing stretchable shock cords or the like.  FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B  are perspective views of the base of self-standing signage frame  10  with front side display panel  16  and back side display panel  18  shown only partially in each view. In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B , elastic cord retention assemblies  30   a - 30   d  are shown fixed within and through back base panel  20   a  and front base panel  20   b . The manner in which these elastic cords are threaded and positioned within the corrugated panels is described in more detail below with respect to  FIGS. 7 &amp; 8 . 
     In the process of manufacturing and assembling the final product of the present invention, cut out notches are formed in each of back base panel  20   a  and front base panel  20   b  along frame back base fold edge  24   a  and frame front base fold edge  24   b . These cut out notches (four along each edge in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6A ) are large enough to receive the hook ends of an elastic cord that stretches through the corrugation channels of base panels  20   a  &amp;  20   b  in a manner that joins the panels along back base panel edge  26   a  and front base panel edge  26   b . These elastic cords thereby create a flexible hinge along base panel edges  26   a  &amp;  26   b . In addition, the elasticity of the cords allows for folding along this base center line and, with some tension established in each of the elastic cords, provides a means for automatically unfolding the display panel when collapsing pressure is released. 
     Elastic cord retention assemblies  30   a - 30   d  serve two purposes within the structure of the present invention. First, these elastic shock cords hold the overall frame together when it is positioned upright as shown in  FIG. 1  above, and second, the cords act as a flexible hinge when folding for storage. This arrangement of elastic cords allows either the method of folding inward shown in  FIG. 2  or the method of folding outward shown in  FIG. 3 . In addition, the elastic cord hooks attached to each end of the assemblies  30   a - 30   d  may be used to secure the established frame to ground stakes or weights for optional anchoring to the ground. 
       FIG. 7  is a detailed perspective view of a typical hook end structure of an elastic cord retention assembly  30   a  of the present invention. In  FIG. 7 , back base panel  20   a  (as an example) is shown along frame back base fold edge  24   a . Elastic cord retention assembly  30   a  is shown positioned within back base panel  20   a  extending out from frame back base fold edge  24   a . The end of elastic cord retention assembly  30   a  is generally made up of hook base and cord attachment  36  which secures the hook end to elastic cord  38 . Extending from hook base and cord attachment  36  is open hook  40 . Cut notch  42  is sized so as to allow for the hook end of elastic cord retention assembly  30   a  to be drawn into the notch in order to at least partially surround the hook end to prevent it from engaging unintentionally, as when the panel is being folded for storage. Back base panel  20   a  is shown to be constructed of many hollow corrugation tubes exemplified by hollow corrugation tube  44   a  through which elastic cord  38  extends. The size of elastic cord  38  is therefore defined in part by the size of the corrugated tubes from which the panel is constructed. In the preferred embodiment with a 0.5″ thick panel, a 0.25″ elastic cord easily fits within the corrugation tube as shown. 
       FIG. 8  is a detailed perspective view of the center hinge section of the assembled base panel of the A-frame barrier, showing the elastic cord retention assembly  30   a  bridging the gap between the two base panels  20   a  &amp;  20   b  of the overall structure. In  FIG. 8 , back base panel  20   a  is shown adjacent to front base panel  20   b . Back base panel edge  26   a  is aligned with and runs parallel to front base panel edge  26   b . Elastic cord retention assembly  30   a , comprising only elastic cord  38  in the view of  FIG. 8 , extends between the two base panels. Base back hollow corrugation tube  44   a  aligns with and extends the path of elastic cord  38  into base front hollow corrugation tube  44   b.    
     In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B  four such elastic cord retention assemblies  30   a - 30   d  are utilized to appropriately secure and adequately structure the assembled self-standing signage frame  10  of the present invention. The process of manufacturing the overall product involves threading elastic cord through the various corrugated tube sections as shown and then securing the hook ends of the elastic cord retention assemblies in place. Once assembled in this manner, the overall frame structure may again be folded by directing the base panels either inward or outward as shown in  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 . 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing preferred embodiments, this description has been provided by way of explanation only, and is not intended to be construed as a limitation of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize modifications in the present invention that might accommodate specific barrier and display presentation environments and systems. Such modifications as to structure, size, and even the specific arrangement of components, where such modifications are coincidental to the environment or the specific subject matter being displayed, do not necessarily depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.