Patent Publication Number: US-7213355-B2

Title: Display banner

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   None. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This present invention relates to an improvement in display flags and display banners, and more particularly to such flags and banners so configured to retain a specific one-half heart shape or “fish-hook” shape, be easily secured to an external ground surface, and rotate or swivel while secured to the external ground surface to clearly display the message of the flag/banner a full 360°. 
   The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention contemplates a display banner having a sheet which has a J-shaped hem and a half-heart overall shape, a J-shaped sleeve shorter than the hem, a flexible pole assembly insertable into the sleeve to thereby firmly attain and retain the shape of the sheet, and a swivelable anchor assembly as a foundation for the display banner into/onto which the pole assembly secures and rotates freely. 
   The foregoing has outlined the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so the present contributions to the art may be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the present invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It also should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and methods do not depart from the spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is plan view of the display banner configuration. 
       FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the complete display banner with anchor component. 
       FIG. 3  is a detailed view of the bottom end of the pole section. 
       FIG. 4  is a detailed view of the anchoring component of the display banner. 
       FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the pole of the display banner and its sectional pole section components. 
       FIG. 6 , taken on line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 1 , is a cross-section view of the pole inside the sleeve. 
       FIG. 7 , is a detailed view of the retaining component of the display banner. 
       FIG. 8 , is a detailed view of a second embodiment of the retaining component of the display banner. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to  FIG. 1 , reference character  10  generally designates a display banner constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The display banner  10  has a sheet  11  which has a wide hem  14  which is J-shaped or fish-hook shaped [referred to hereafter as “J” or J-shaped] and rotated approximately 135° clockwise off the Y′—Y′ axis as shown. The hem  14  originates [and has its linear terminus] at Point A, is configured upward in the direction of Arrow Z to Point E, arcs around past Points D and B to Point C [its curvilinear terminus]. At this point the wide hem  14  terminates. The shape of the sheet  11  continues downward back to Point A thereby defining its perimeter, shape, and area. 
   A sleeve  13  is inside the hem  14 . The sleeve  13  has a shorter length than the hem  14 . The sleeve originates at Point A, is relatively straight on the linear part of the J-shape, arcs around clockwise and terminates at the sleeve termination point  19  [Point B]. An end tab or grip tab  15  is defined between Points B and C. 
   For administrative clarity,  FIG. 1  illustrates the J-shape of the hem  14  rotated approximately 135° clockwise off the Y′—Y′ axis and the half-heart shape of the sheet  11  in a rectangular grid defined by horizontal plane X—X at the top, horizontal plane X′—X′ at the bottom, vertical plane Y—Y to the left side, and vertical plane Y′—Y′ to the right side. Also illustrated in  FIG. 1  is the pole  21  inserted into and attached to the sheet  11  by retaining components to be described later. The overall length [L] of the pole  21  should be greater than the distance represented from Point B running counter-clockwise and down past Point A to Point A′. 
   Once the display banner  10  is properly constructed and placed, the pole  21  generally will be vertically disposed such that the linear section of the J-shape is rotated approximately 45° clockwise; i.e., the “J” is placed upside-down or rotated in either direction approximately 180° as illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  also shows the pole  21  after the pole has been assembled and slid into the sleeve  13 . The pole  21  is comprised of more than one section. As illustrated here the pole  21  has pole sections  21 A– 21 D. The pole sections  21 A– 21 D may be somewhat flexible with the pole sections farthest from the bottom and from the bottom-most pole sections being more flexible and with the top pole section being the most flexible. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates the pole sections  21 A– 21 D. Each pole section has a mouth  30  at its respective bottom end and may have an anchor receiving aperture  20  near its respective bottom end. The top pole section  21  has a relatively flattened extension  22  wherein the width  18  [WD] is greater that its depth  16  [DP]. Generally WD is approximately 3 to 10 times greater than DP and the extension  22  comprises between approximately 50% to 75% of the overall length of the top pole section  21 D. This extension  22  also is represented by Points B to D. These reference points also related to Points B and D of  FIG. 1 . 
   The flattened extension  22  allows for maximum curvature of the pole  21  when assembled, slid through the sleeve  13 , and the sheet  11  pulled taut and fastened to the bottom pole section adjacent to its sheet receiving aperture  40 . This structure of the top pole section  21 D maximizes the bendability or flexibility of the entire pole structure  21  when fully assembled which is necessary for the display banner  10  to attain and retain its shape, as described above, after the pole  21  is inserted into the sleeve  13 . 
   As described earlier, all the poles sections have an anchor receiving aperture  40  near their respective bottom end. In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , each may instead, or in addition to, have a receiving channel  50 . The receiving channel has a least three directional channels. As the pole section is viewed in its upstanding position, the receiving channel  50  have a upward or forward vertical channel  50 A, a horizontal channel  50 B, and a second forward vertical channel  50 C.  FIG. 6  illustrates the pole  21  inside the sleeve channel  17  of the sleeve  13 . 
   After proper construction of the display banner  10  [pole sections  21 A– 21 D connected and sheet  11  slid onto the assembled pole  21 ], the pole  21  is inserted onto the anchor post  24 . In  FIG. 4  the anchor post  24  generally has an elongated stake member  25  for insertion into the ground and has a swivel component  26  into which a rotatable stem  27  is securely and rotatable fitted. A stem extension  28  extends upward from the swivel component  26  terminating at a flanged or beveled end  29 . One or more detents  32  are on the stem extension  28 . 
   The bottom pole section  21 A is slid over the extension  28 . The receiving aperture  20  of that bottom pole section  21 A mates with a detent  32  and is held securely to the anchor post  24  thereby. For ease of attachment and removal, the detents  32  on the extension  28  are biased with biasing mechanism  34  internal to the extension  28 . Typical biasing components such as, but not limited to, conventional compression springs, are suitable to the intended purpose. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate two embodiments of the retaining component adapted to tautly retain the sheet  11  to the respective pole section  21 A adjacent to the bottom of the pole. An elastic member  41  is attached to aperture  40  and also has thereon a releaseable coupling member  43  [illustrated here as a male coupler]. A corresponding second releaseable coupling  47  [illustrated here as a female coupler] is attached to the sheet  11  at approximately Point A. It must be understood that either male or female coupler may interchangeably be structured to be on sheet  11  or to be on the pole  21 . The male coupling member  43  has a compressible detent  45  which mates with a corresponding aperture [not shown] in the female coupler  47 . Such coupling and uncoupling devices are conventionally available and suited for the intended purpose. 
   In  FIG. 8  the retaining component comprises a ring-like element  143  in the aperture  40 . An elastic member  141  is on the sheet  11  at approximately Point A. A conventional biased eye clip or hook clip with a biased spring bar  147  is attached to the elastic member  141 . In operation, after the pole  21  is assembled and gathered through the sleeve  13 , the user should grasp grip tab  15  while holding the distal end of the flat section  22 , pull down to cause the curvature represented by and from and through Points B, D, and E. While maintaining that configuration, the retaining component on the sheet  11  is connected to the coupling member  43  with mating coupling member  45  or connected to the ring  141  with clip  147 . After so coupled, the display banner  10  will retain the shape represented in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The elastic member  41 ,  141  facilitates the coupling and serves as an enhancement to the display banner  10  as the wind strikes the sheet  11  and causes the display banner  10  to rotate freely in the anchor post  24 . 
   To attain and retain the desired half-heart shape, the following approximate ratios in as described in length-units [LU] are necessary [length-units are any unit of distance or length measurement; i.e., millimeters, centimeters, inches, or feet]: 
   As measured following directional Arrow Z:
         A to B between approximately 100 to 120 LU;   A to C between approximately 102 to 126 LU;   B to C between approximately 2 to 6 LU;   D to B between approximately 15 to 40 LU;   A′ to B [L] between approximately 100 to 160 LU;       

   The length of the pole sections  21 A– 21 D may range from approximately 20 LU to approximately 60 LU. 
   Best results have been found with the following LU:
         A to B between approximately 106 to 110 LU;   A to C between approximately 108 to 115 LU;   B to C between approximately 2 to 4 LU;   D to B between approximately 24 to 32 LU;   A′ to B [L] between approximately 110 to 120 LU; and   Pole section length of approximately 34–38 LU.       

   The present disclosure includes that contained in the present claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts and method steps may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment[s] illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.