Abstract:
A sign attachment bracket assembly for holding and securing a sign panel on an upright member of a sign stand. The assembly includes a spring member having a tab extending through an aperture on the surface of the upright member. The tab is releasably positionable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A first bracket member is slidably mounted on the upright member and supported by the tab. The first bracket member includes a slot adapted to receive a horizontally oriented cross-brace of the sign assembly. A second bracket member is movable relative to the first bracket member and encloses the slot of the first bracket member, thereby securing the cross-brace in the slot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to sign stands and other display devices, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for mounting a roll-up or flexible sign on a sign stand. 
     2. Discussion 
     Numerous sign stand devices have been designed for displaying advertisements and information to the public. On construction sites, for example, such signs are typically positioned on sign stands that are either anchored in the ground, held in place by sand bags or other heavy objects, or spring-mounted on bases which allow them to bend or deflect relative to the base without tipping over under high wind forces. 
     Signs commonly used at construction sites or at roadside emergency situations are square, rectangular, or diamond in shape, flat in configuration, made of metal or wood, and have pertinent informative or warning messages or symbols on them. These signs are bulky and heavy and as a result many problems are encountered in the storage, transportation, and mounting of them. In order to provide a lighter and more easily transportable display, signs have been developed which are made out of a heavy duty flexible and foldable material, such as vinyl or reinforced cloth or plastic which is retro-reflective. Such signs are lighter and easier to handle than the prior metal or wood signs and are also typically adapted to be rolled-up or folded-up for ease of transportation and storage. 
     The roll-up signs usually have one or more rigid cross-braces or support members to hold them in their fully extended configurations, with mounting means for mounting the sign to the support members and brackets or other mounting means thereon for holding the sign assemblies on their stands. The cross-braces or supporting members are typically elongated members made of wood, fiberglass or a similar strong material, and are connected to one another in the middle so that they can be rotated together to a generally aligned position for storage. Some of the brackets presently in use for mounting such signs to the sign stands, however, are often difficult and time-consuming to operate, thereby making them inconvenient for use in construction or emergency situations. Many of the brackets conventionally used are heavy and bulky. 
     In addition, because the sign stands are often used in roadside locations, they on occasion became involved in collisions with motor vehicles. Both state and federal agencies have instituted various motor vehicle safety standards to address this issue. Specifically, NCHR-350 is a recently enacted federal law that relates to crash performance of roadside sign stands. In view of the more stringent requirements of NCHR-350, improvements may be required in the sign stands in order for them to meet the standards as set thereby. In particular, conventional bracket designs currently in use may contribute to the poor performance of the sign stands during the tests because of their weight, size, and configuration. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an improved sign bracket for use on a sign stand device which is relatively light in weight, compact in size, economical to produce, and which can be made operational with relative ease and expediency. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved sign attachment bracket for holding and securing a sign assembly on an upright member of a sign stand. 
     It is a further object to provide an improved sign attachment bracket that allows for quick and easy mounting or attachment of retro-reflective flexible signs on their support members and on the upright member of the sign stand. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight sign attachment bracket, thereby reducing the overall weight of the sign stand and lowering the center of gravity of the sign stand. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved sign attachment bracket arrangement for holding and securing a sign assembly on an upright member of a sign stand. The arrangement includes a spring member secured to the upright member and having a tab or button extending through an aperture on the surface of the upright member which is releasably positionable to establish one of a locking mode and an unlocking mode. The attachment bracket includes first bracket member which is slidably mounted on the upright member and positionably supported by the tab. The first bracket member includes a slot adapted to receive a horizontally-oriented cross-brace of the sign assembly. The second bracket member is movable relative to the first bracket member and has a latching member for enclosing the slot of the first bracket member, thereby securing the cross-brace in the slot. The first and second brackets can be formed of a lightweight and durable material, such as various formable engineered plastics. The configuration and lightweight nature of the bracket assembly allows for convenient set-up and reduces the overall weight of the sign stand in order to better accommodate federal motor vehicle safety standards. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a portable sign stand having a sign attachment bracket according to principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial rear perspective view of the sign stand shown in FIG. 1, depicting a preferred embodiment of a sign attachment bracket of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a first preferred embodiment of the sign attachment bracket, wherein the sign attachment bracket is in a closed mode or position; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the sign attachment bracket as shown in FIG. 3, but depicting the sign attachment bracket in an open mode or position; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sign attachment bracket as shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the sign attachment bracket according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sign attachment bracket is in an open mode or position; and 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the sign attachment bracket according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sign attachment bracket is in a closed mode or position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As the drawings show merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only, one skilled in the art will readily recognize that the principles of the invention are well adapted for application to other than sign and stand assemblies. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various adaptations of the preferred embodiments may be combined or otherwise modified without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 show an inventive sign attachment bracket in use on a construction sign stand  8 , with a construction sign  10  mounted on an upright  12 . The upright  12  is supported on the ground preferably by a plurality of ground engaging legs  14  and a pair of coil springs  16  which allow the sign  10  and upright  12  to deflect relative to the base assembly  17  in a downward direction when subjected to external forces such as wind, and then resiliently return to the normal upright position shown in FIG.  1 . It is understood, of course, that the sign attachment bracket of the present invention may also be used with other types of sign stands or frame members, whether permanently anchored or portable. 
     The upright  12  may be composed of any conventional material which is sturdy enough to be used for the purpose described herein, but is preferably composed of a tubular construction, such as aluminum or steel. The cross-sectional shape of the upright  12  is preferably square (as shown in FIGS.  2  through  7 ), although it should be understood that the upright  12  can have any suitable cross-sectional size and shape so long as it can be used as a stand for a construction sign or similar display. 
     The sign  10  has a large flexible and foldable sign panel  15  typically having a warning, message or symbol on one side and a pair of cross-braces  11  and  13  pivotally attached to one another on the other side by a rivet  19  or some other suitable pivoting means. The flexible sign panel  15  is preferably composed of a heavy-duty material such as vinyl or reinforced cloth or plastic, for example. The cross-braces  11  and  13  are made of a relatively rigid material (such as fiberglass, metal, or wood) and serve to brace and support the flexible sign panel  15  in its fully extended position. As shown in FIG. 2, one of the cross-braces  11  is pivoted to a horizontal position when the sign is mounted to the upright  12 , while the other cross-brace  13  is vertically situated. Any of the attaching means known in the art may be used to retain the corners of the sign panel at the ends of the cross-braces  11  and  13  in order to erect the sign to its display configuration. A presently preferred configuration is the Duralatch® attachment system manufactured by Marketing Displays International, Inc. of Farmington Hills, Mich. When the sign  10  is removed from the upright  12  and is to be taken down, at least two corners of the flexible sign panel material are detached from the other ends of their corresponding cross-brace, and the cross-braces are pivoted to a generally parallel, mutually aligned relationship. The flexible sign panel  15  which remains attached to one of the cross-braces, may then be folded or rolled up around the mutually-aligned cross-braces for compact, convenient storage. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the sign  10  is held in place on the upright  12  of the sign stand  8  by a sign attachment bracket  18 . FIGS. 3-5 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the sign attachment bracket  18 . The bracket  18  preferably includes a first bracket portion  20  that is adapted to surround and slidably engage the upright  12 . The cross-sectional size and shape of the first bracket portion  20  should preferably correspond to the cross-sectional size and shape of the upright  12 . 
     Positioned inside the upright  12  is a J-shaped spring member  22  having a leg portion  22   a  lying substantially flat against an inner wall  12   a  of the upright  12  and a hook portion  22   b  traversing the cross-section of the upright  12  and engaging an opposite wall  12   b  of the upright  12 . A lower locating button or tab  23   a  is formed on the leg portion  22   a  of the spring member  22  adjacent the hook portion  22   b  and extends through an aligned aperture  24   a  formed in the upright  12 . An upper locking button or tab  23   b  is formed on the end of leg portion  22   a  of the spring member  22  opposite the hook portion  22   b  and extends through an aligned aperture  24   b  formed in the upright  12 . The walls of the hollow upright  12  constrain the spring member  22  such that it is releasably positioned in upright  12 , whereby the leg portion  22   a  functions as a leaf spring to bias the lower tab  23   a  into an extended position and leg portion  22   a  functions as a cantilever spring to bias the upper tab  23   b  into an extended position. The lower locating tab  23   a  abuts the bottom edge  26  of the first bracket portion  20  in order to support the sign attachment bracket  18  at the desired vertical height of the upright  12 . 
     The upper locking tab  23   b  may be depressed to allow a second bracket portion  32  to slide over it and mate with the first bracket portion  20 . The upper locking tab  23   b  is inserted through an aligned aperture  24   b  in the upper section of upright  12  to provide a locked position for the second portion  32 . The spring member  22  is loaded such that it resiliently urges the upper locking tab  23   b  outward through the aperture  24   b . As best seen in FIG. 7, the upper locking tab  23   b  has a tapered face  36  which slopes toward the upright  12  in a direction away from the lower locating tab  23   a  to provide a camming surface which is sloped downwardly to allow the first and second bracket portions  20 ,  32  to slide downwardly into the appropriate location on the upright  12  without manual manipulation of the upper locking tab  23   b . The bottom face  38  of the upper locking tab  23   b  is shaped to provide a surface which abuts the upper edge  30  of the second bracket portion  32  to prevent undesired upward movement of each bracket portion  20  and  32 . 
     In order to secure the first bracket portion  20  of the sign attachment bracket  18  onto the upright  12 , the first bracket portion  20  is slid axially downwardly on the upright  12  until it engages the upper locking tab  23   b . Upper locking tab  23   b  is urged inwardly as the bottom edge  26  of the first bracket portion  20  engages the camming surface  36  of upper locking tab  23   b . The first bracket portion  20  can then slide over the upper locking tab  23   b  against the force of the spring member  22 . Once first bracket portion  20  has slid past it, the upper locking tab  23   b  can “snap” outwardly under the force of the spring member  22 . The lower locating tab  23   a  provides an abutment which resists further downward movement of the first bracket portion  20 , thereby positioning it at the desired vertical height on the upright  12 . Similarly, the second bracket portion  32  is slid axially downwardly on the upright  12 . 
     In order to completely remove the sign attachment bracket  18  from the frame  12 , the upper locking tab  23   b  must be depressed into a retracted position such that it becomes flush with the surface of the upright  12 . The first bracket portion  20  and second bracket portion  32  may then slide over the upper locking tab  23   b  against the force of the spring member  22 . Once each bracket portion  20  and  32  has slid clear of the upper locking tab  23   b , the upper locking tab  23   b  can snap outwardly under the force of the spring member  22 . A tether  21  may be used to loosely interconnect first bracket portion  20  and second bracket portion  32  such that they do not become separated once removed from the upright  12 . 
     As is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, both the first bracket portion  20  and the second bracket portion  32  include a pair of outwardly extending flanges  28 , having slots  34  which are laterally aligned with each other such that the horizontal cross-brace  11  may be positioned in the slots  34  in order to mount the sign  10  on the sign attachment bracket  18 . 
     The second bracket portion  32  can be slidably adjusted to abut the first bracket portion  20  such that the flanges  28  and slots  34  form an open state, as seen in FIG. 4, or a closed state, as seen in FIG.  3 . In such closed position, the flanges  28  capture and secure the horizontal cross-brace  11  in slots  34 . In the closed position, the tabs  23   a ,  23   b  are in an extended position to prevent the axial movement of the first bracket portion  20  and second bracket portion  32  along the upright  12 . By such a relationship, the flanges  28  prevent the cross-brace  11  from being lifted or otherwise moved upwardly, under the influence of wind gusts, for example, and thus escaping from the channel slots  34 . 
     The sign attachment bracket  18  facilitates quick and easy removal of the sign  10  from the sign stand  8 . In order to attach the sign  10  to the sign attachment bracket  18 , the second bracket portion  32  is in the open position, as seen in FIG.  4 . The cross-brace  11  is then merely inserted or positioned in the slots  34  of the first bracket portion  20 . The second bracket portion  32  is then manually slid over the upper locking tab  23   b  so that the slots  34  create an enclosure for the cross-brace  11 , as best seen in FIG.  3 . 
     To remove the sign  10  from the sign attachment bracket  18 , the upper locking tab  23   b  is depressed and the second bracket portion  32  is slid upwardly away from first bracket portion  20  into the open position. The cross-brace  11  may then be lifted out of the slot  34  of the first bracket portion  20 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 5, the first bracket portion  20  and the second bracket portion  32  each preferably include arcuate cutouts  40  formed in the side wall  42  such that when in the closed position, the combination of each arcuate cutout forms a clearance aperture to accommodate the rivet  19  of other configurations of the cross-braces  11  and  13 . 
     As presently illustrated, first and second bracket portions  20 ,  32  are located in adjacent abutting alignment when located in the closed position. However, the second bracket portion may optionally include a skirt portion extending downwardly from a bottom edge. The skirt portion encompasses a top edge of the first bracket portion when in the closed position, thereby releasably interconnecting the first and second bracket portions and securing the horizontal cross-brace in the flanges. 
     With reference now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a second preferred embodiment of the sign attachment bracket  118  according to the principles of the present invention is illustrated in which components that are similar to those described with reference to the first preferred embodiment are annotated with similar reference numerals incremented by  100 . 
     Sign attachment bracket  118  includes a first U-shaped bracket portion  120  that is adapted to surround and slidably engage three corresponding sides the upright  112 . The cross-sectional size and shape of the first bracket portion  120  should preferably correspond to the cross-sectional size and shape of the upright  112 . 
     Positioned inside the upright  112  is a U-shaped spring member  122  having a locating tab or button  123  formed on a leg portion  122   a  and extending through an aligned aperture  124  formed in the upright. The leg portion  122   a  lies substantially flat against an inner wall of the upright  112  and a hook portion (not shown) traverses the cross-section of the upright  112  and engages an opposite wall thereof. In this manner, spring member  122  is similar to spring member  22  except that the length of the leg portion  122   a  may be approximately equal to the length of the hook portion such that the spring member  122  is U-shaped rather than J-shaped. The walls of the hollow upright  112  constrain the spring member  122 , thereby allowing it to function as a cantilever spring to bias the locating tab  123  into an extended position through an aligned aperture  124  in the upper section of upright  112  and through an aperture  126  in the first bracket portion  120  in order to appropriately position and support the sign attachment bracket  118  at the desired vertical height on the upright  112 . 
     In order to secure the sign attachment bracket  118  onto the upright  112 , the locating tab  123  is depressed such that it becomes flush with the surface of the upright  112 . The first bracket portion  120  can then slide downwardly over the locating tab  123  against the force of the spring member  122 . Once the apertures  124  and  126  are aligned, the locating tab  123  can snap outwardly under the force of the spring member  122  to engage the apertures  124  and  126  and support the sign attachment bracket  118 . 
     Similarly, to remove the sign attachment bracket  118  from the upright  112 , the locating tab  123  must be depressed into a retracted position such that it becomes flush with the surface of the upright  112 . The first bracket portion  120  can then slide upwardly over the locating tab  123  against the force of the spring member  122 . Once the first portion has slid clear of the locating tab  123 , the locating tab  123  can snap outwardly under the force of the spring member  122 . 
     As is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first bracket portion  120  includes a pair of outwardly extending legs or flanges  128 , having slots  134  which are laterally aligned with each other such that the horizontal cross-brace  11  (not shown) may be positioned in the slots  134  in order to mount the sign  10  on the sign attachment bracket  118 . 
     A pivot pin  130 , which interconnects each side of the first U-shaped portion  120  to provide a surface which abuts the upright  112 , works in association with the locating tab  123  to locate the sign attachment bracket  118  to the upright  112 . The pivot pin  130  extends through apertures in the first bracket portion  120  and in a second bracket portion  132 . In this manner, the pivot pin  130  allows the second bracket portion  132  to rotate relative to the first bracket portion  120 . 
     The second bracket member  132  is generally L-shaped having a handle portion  132   a  and a base portion  132   b . Second bracket portion  132  includes a left hand side and a right hand side which are mirror images of one another, it being understood that FIGS. 6 and 7 only illustrate one side thereof. Pin  133  interconnects the handle portions  132   a  of the left and right hand sides of the second bracket member and functions as a stop for limiting the rotation of the second bracket member in the open position. A relief  135  formed in the base portion  132   b  is complementary to the slots  134  formed in the first bracket member  120  and defines a latch  132   c  which cooperates with the slots  134  to form an open position, as seen in FIG. 6, or a closed position, as seen in FIG.  7 . In such closed position, the latch  132   c  covers the open end of slots  134  to capture and retain the horizontal cross-brace  11  in the sign bracket assembly. 
     It should be noted that when the second bracket portion  132  is in the closed state, the lower edges  136  formed by relief  135  are disposed above the upper edge of the cross-brace  11 . By such a relationship, the second bracket portion  132  captures the cross-brace  11  and prevents it from being lifted or otherwise moved upwardly, under the influence of wind gusts, for example, and thus escaping from the slots  134 . 
     The sign attachment bracket  118  facilitates quick and easy removal of the sign  10  from the sign stand  8 . In order to attach the sign  10  to the sign attachment bracket  118 , the second bracket portion  132  is moved to the open position, as seen in FIG.  6 . The cross-brace  11  is then merely inserted or positioned in the slots  134 . The second bracket portion  132  may then be manually pivoted upwardly around the pivot pin  130  so that it captures the cross-brace  11 , as best seen in FIG.  4 . Once in the fully closed position, the locating tab  123  engages an upper edge of the handle portion  132   a  of second bracket portion  132  to prevent counter-rotation towards the open position. 
     To remove the sign  10  from the sign attachment bracket  118 , the locking tab  123  is pushed inwardly into a retracted position and the second bracket portion  132  is manually pivoted downwardly around the pivot pin  130 . The cross-brace  11  may then be lifted out of the slots  134 . 
     The first and second bracket portions of each preferred embodiment are preferably made of an engineered plastic material, or any suitable material which is strong enough to withstand the forces that sign stands are normally exposed to in use. The first and second bracket portions may be formed by an injection molding or thermoforming process. The spring member is preferably made of spring steel, or some other suitable material that is elastically deformable and provides sufficient stiffness to urge the respective tabs through the respective aperture in the upright. Although the bracket of this preferred embodiment of the invention is described above as being used for flexible or roll-up type signs of diamond shape, it is apparent that the bracket can be used with a wide variety of signs of different materials, rigid or soft, and with signs of widely varying shapes and sizes. With rigid signs, a flange or attachment bar adapted to fit within the channel spaces or slots  134  could be incorporated onto the back side of the sign panel. 
     From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent that certain variations, modifications, or alterations may be made therein. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.