Abstract:
Promotional material display devices are provided. The display devices have a unique configuration that improves visual display and organization of promotional material including flyers and business cards. The display devices uniquely integrate a direction indicator with the display device providing an attractive dimension to and purpose for the flyer and business card holder in real estate applications.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to devices for displaying advertising material. More particularly, but not exclusively, devices for displaying real estate brochures having a direction indicator are disclosed. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Standard real estate practices include certain routine procedures such as the preparation of a flyer or brochure that describes a home&#39;s characteristics. Information typically included on the flyer are the sale or lease price, the address, the number of rooms and bathrooms, unique features, pictures of the home and other specific information about the property. A quantity of these flyers is placed at the premise being offered for sale to enable clients viewing the property to have key information in a form that is concise and convenient take home with them to remember the property and its unique characteristics. Such flyers are utilized for both new and resale properties and are recognized as a standard marketing tool by real estate professionals. In addition to the promotional material pertaining to the property, it is common practice for listing agents to leave a number of their business cards for the use of anyone viewing the property. 
         [0003]    The flyers and business cards are sometimes placed on a kitchen table or counter where they have to be constantly organized into neat stacks. Sometimes the business cards and flyers are organized and placed in a brochure display device that is typically made of plastic. Even when placed in a plastic display device, there still is a problem of keeping the displayed material attractively arranged at the point of use. For example, in many instances, the front wall of a display pocket terminates beneath the upper edges of the papers stored therein. As a result, the papers tend to curl over the front face and become damaged. Furthermore, as material is removed from the pocket, remaining papers in the pocket lack the support provided by a greater quantity of adjacent papers. Yet, with a large number of brochures, sometimes it is difficult to remove just a single copy. Similarly with business cards, as cards are removed, the remaining cards do not have additional support from adjacent cards to remain in a substantially upright orientation and as a result, cards sometimes flop forward obscuring the front side of the card from view. Business cards are sometimes equally difficult to separate and remove requiring greater finger accessibility. 
         [0004]    In addition to the information provided on the flyers, visitors to an open house frequently like to know in what direction the house is oriented. Typically, this information is not printed on the flyer. Sometimes, the question is asked of the agent so that the potential buyer can better visualize the expected exposure to sunlight, for example, at a time different from when visiting the house. Also, many times visitors become disoriented after spending some time inside an unfamiliar house and would like to know where a certain direction lies. Furthermore, some visitors like to know other directional information such as in which direction is a certain landmark outside the house such as a downtown, ocean, airport or nearby street relative to the house. Cardinal compass directions are also important for visitors interested in feng shui applications for the home. 
         [0005]    These problems exist not only in the home selling industry but in all kinds of advertising industries which need to stack display brochures, often of different sizes, or provide a direction information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a promotional material display which overcomes the shortcomings described above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    According to one aspect of the invention, a promotional material display device is provided. The promotional material display device includes a first promotional material receiving portion configured to receive promotional material. A support is connected to the first promotional material receiving portion and configured to support the first promotional material receiving portion on a flat surface. The promotional material display device includes a direction indicator connected to the device. The direction indicator is configured to provide indication of at least one direction information. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the invention, a promotional material display device is provided. The promotional material display device includes a back wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first sidewall is spaced apart from the second sidewall. The device includes a first front wall that is spaced apart from the back wall. The device further includes a first bottom. The back wall, the first and second sidewalls, the first front wall and the first bottom are configured to define a first cavity of a first promotional material receiving portion. The first cavity has an open top such that the first front wall is interconnected to the back wall by at least one or more of the first bottom, the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The first cavity is configured to receive promotional material. The device further includes a direction indicator connected to the device for indicating at least one direction information. 
         [0008]    According to yet another aspect of the invention, a promotional material holder for display on a substantially flat surface is provided. The holder includes a back wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first sidewall is spaced apart from the second sidewall. A first front wall is also provided that is spaced apart from the back wall. The holder further includes a first bottom. The back wall, the first and second sidewalls, the first front wall and the first bottom are configured to define a first cavity of a first promotional material receiving portion. The first front wall is interconnected to the back wall by the first bottom, the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The first cavity has an open top and is configured to receive promotional material. A third sidewall and a fourth sidewall are also provided. The third sidewall is spaced apart from the fourth sidewall. The holder includes a second front wall that is spaced apart from the first front wall. A second bottom is provided. At least a portion of the first front wall, the third and fourth sidewalls, the second front wall and the second bottom are configured to define a second cavity of a second promotional material receiving portion. The second front wall is interconnected to the first front wall by the second bottom, the third sidewall and the fourth sidewall. The first cavity has an open top and is configured to receive promotional material. The holder further includes a base wall that is connected to the first promotional material receiving portion such that the base wall forms an acute angle with the back wall. The base wall being is configured to support the device on the flat surface. The holder further includes direction indicator for indicating at least one direction information connected to the device at the first front wall or the second front wall. 
         [0009]    Other advantages will be apparent from the description that follows, including the drawings and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in the drawings are the following figures: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the promotional material display device with promotional material according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the promotional material display device according to the present invention without the direction indicator. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the promotional material display device according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the promotional material display device according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a partial side cross-sectional view of the promotional material display device according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the promotional material display device according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the promotional material display device according to the present invention without the direction indicator. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Before the subject devices, systems and methods are described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims. 
         [0019]    The present invention will now be described in detail by way of the following description of exemplary embodiments and variations of the systems and methods of the present invention. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 7 , there is shown a promotional material display device  10  comprising a first promotional material receiving portion  12 , a second promotional material receiving portion  14 , and a direction indicator  16 . The second promotional material receiving portion  14  and direction indicator  16  are connected to the first promotional material receiving portion  12  as shown in the figures. The first promotional material receiving portion  12  is configured to receive promotional material  18  that is larger than the promotional material  20  that the second promotional material receiving portion  14  is configured to receive. In one variation, the first receiving portion  12  is configured to receive 8½ by 11 inches sized sheets of paper  18  and the second receiving portion  14  is configured to receive business cards  20 . The direction indicator  16  is any information indicator. In one variation, the direction indicator  16  is a compass  36  which extends outwardly from the first receiving portion  14 . The display  10  is preferably made of plastic; however, the invention is not so limited and the display can be made of any kind of suitable material known to one having ordinary skill in the art. In one variation, the display is made of transparent material but this is also not required and the display may be made of any opaque, transluscent, semi-transparent, colored or any kind of material. The promotional material holder  10  is generally configured to be displayed on a substantially flat surface such as a table top and designed such that the first receiving portion  12  is angled with respect to the flat surface for ease of access to the promotional material  18 ,  20 . 
         [0021]    With particular reference to  FIG. 2  and general reference to  FIGS. 1 through 7 , the flyer holder  10  includes a back wall  22 , a first sidewall  24  and a second sidewall  26 . The first sidewall  24  is spaced apart from the second sidewall  26  and, in one variation, the first sidewall  24  is substantially parallel to the second sidewall  26 . The flyer display  10  further includes a first front wall  30  that is spaced apart from the back wall  22  and, in one variation, the first front wall  30  is substantially parallel to the back wall  22 . A first bottom  28  is also provided. The back wall  22 , the first and second sidewalls  24 ,  26 , the first front wall  30  and the first bottom  28  are configured to define a first cavity  32  of the first promotional material receiving portion  12 . The first front wall  30  is interconnected to the back wall  22  by at least one or more of the first bottom  28 , the first sidewall  24  and the second sidewall  26 . In one variation of the invention, the first front wall  30  is interconnected to the back wall  22  by all three of the first bottom  28 , the first sidewall  24  and the second sidewall  26 . The first cavity  32  has an open top through which promotional material  18  is inserted into the cavity  32 . 
         [0022]    With particular reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first bottom  28  is oriented substantially perpendicular to the back wall  22 . In general, the first bottom  28  slopes upwardly from the back wall  22  to the first front wall  30 . This slope advantageously keeps promotional material  18  propped up nicely inside the first cavity  32 . As pages of promotional material  18  are removed from the first cavity  32 , remaining pages slide down the slope of the first bottom  28  keeping the stack of promotional material neatly stacked. 
         [0023]    As seen in the figures, the first front wall  30  is shorter than the back wall  22 . The first front wall  30  typically rises a quarter to two-thirds of the way up from the first bottom  28  with respect to the back wall  22  such that the promotional material  18  in the first receiving portion  12  is not covered by the first front wall  30 . This is particularly advantageous when non-transparent material is used to construct the first front wall  30 . If transparent material is employed for the first front wall  30 , the first front wall  30  can be designed to rise higher with respect to the back wall  22 . As seen in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the top edge of the back wall  22  includes a scalloped or relieved portion  34  to facilitate removal of promotional material from the first cavity  32 . 
         [0024]    In one variation, the direction indicator  16  provides the direction of at least one cardinal compass direction such as “north,” “south,” “east” and “west” with respect to the display device  10 . In one variation, the direction indicator  16  is a magnetic compass  36  that is inserted through an opening  38  in a flange  40  that extends outwardly from the first front wall  30  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In one variation, the compass  36  is removable and rotatable with respect to the display  10 . Also, the direction indicator  16  is connected at any functional location on the display  10 . Preferably, the direction indicator  16  is connected to the front wall  30  and is substantially horizontal to the flat surface on which the display  10  is placed as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  to provide easy viewing of the direction information. Furthermore, if a compass is employed as the direction indicator, it need not be a functioning magnetic compass but may be any kind of compass including a representational compass. An example of a representational compass is an element disposed within the opening  38  of the flange  40  with an arrow pointing to the direction “north” for example. The element being rotated by the user with in the opening  38  of the flange  40  to match a true compass direction. Any representational form of compass may be employed with the invention. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, the direction indicator is not limited to showing the cardinal compass directions, but any direction information can be indicated by the direction indicator. One example of a direction information is a sunny or southern exposure direction of the relevant structure that is indicated by the color yellow or graphic depiction of a sun for example. Another example of a direction information is a dark side and the color blue or black or a graphic depiction of a moon to indicate a dark side on a dial or other formatted structure of the direction indicator. Other examples of direction informations are the direction of the nearest city, largest city, downtown, the ocean, lake, grocery store, water feature, street, airport, sitting direction and facing direction of the home. Any direction information conveyed via the direction indicator is within the scope of the present invention and, of course, any distance or other information associated with a direction information may also be included on the direction indicator. 
         [0026]    In one variation of the invention, there is no second promotional material receiving portion  14 . In another variation as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 7  and with particular reference to  FIGS. 2 , and  4 - 7 , the second promotional material receiving portion  14  of the display device  10  includes a third sidewall  42  and a fourth sidewall  44 . The third sidewall  42  is spaced apart from the fourth sidewall  44  and in one variation the third sidewall  42  is substantially parallel to the fourth sidewall  44 . The second promotional material receiving portion  14  further includes a second bottom  48  and a second front wall  46  that is spaced apart from the first front wall  30 . The first front wall  30 , the third and fourth sidewalls  42 ,  44 , the second front wall  46  and the second bottom  48  are configured to define a second cavity  50  of the second promotional material receiving portion  14 . The second front wall  46  is interconnected to the first front wall  30  by at least one or more of the second bottom  48 , the third sidewall  42  and the fourth sidewall  44 . In one variation, the second front wall  46  is interconnected to the first front wall  30  by all of the second bottom  48 , and third and fourth sidewalls  42 ,  44 . The second cavity  50  has an open top and is configured to receive promotional material  20  such as business cards. In one variation, the second bottom  48  is substantially horizontal relative to the flat surface on which the display device  10  is placed. In another variation, the second bottom  48  is substantially perpendicular with respect to the first front wall  30  and as a result angled with respect to the surface on which the device  10  is placed. Also in one variation, the second front wall  46  is substantially parallel with respect to the first front wall  30  and in another variation the second front wall  46  is substantially perpendicular with respect to the horizontal surface on which the device  10  is placed. Any combination of the above variations in one embodiment is within the scope of the present invention. Also, the upper edge of the second front wall  46  includes a scalloped or relieved portion  52  for easy finger access to the second cavity  50  and the promotional material  20  therein. 
         [0027]    In one variation, the display device  10  includes a support  54  as visible in  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  7 . The support  54  is connected to the first promotional material receiving portion  12  and is configured to support the first receiving portion  12  on a flat surface such that the first receiving portion  12  is angled with respect to the flat surface. In one variation, the support  54  includes a base wall  56  that is substantially parallel to the flat surface on which the device  10  is placed. The base wall  56  is generally connected to the first receiving portion  12  such that the base  56  forms an acute angle with the back wall  22 . The base wall  56  is configured to support the device  10  on a flat surface in a substantially upright or slightly angled orientation as shown in the figures. In one variation, the base wall  56  is integral with the first bottom  28  and in another variation it is not. Of course, the display device  10  may be provided without a support and mounted on a wall. In such a variation, the support  54  would be configured for mounting the display device on a wall. 
         [0028]    The preceding merely illustrates the principles of the invention. It will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Rather, the scope and spirit of present invention is embodied by the appended claims.