Patent Description:
<CIT> relates to an advertisement display and method of use. The document discloses a display having two side columns and at least one advertisement module provided therebetween. The module consists of a top unit and a pivoting lower unit. The top unit is slidable within the side columns. A longitudinal wall is spaced from a bottom wall of the top unit defining a utility space therebetween. The lower unit is locked and prevented from pivoting when the top unit with the longitudinal wall is slid into a downward position, and is allowed to pivot when the top unit with the longitudinal wall is slid upwardly unlocking the bottom unit.

<CIT> relates to a multiplanar display system. The document discloses a display system that combines a dry-erase surface with an interchangeable background made to specific individual requirements so that information and/ or fields over which dry-erase markings are made become integrated with the background. In addition, the document discloses a picture frame, referred to as a snap frame, having spring-loaded movable clamps hinged to fixed frame members, which are further attached to a rigid backer board to form a composite four sided rigid member. The document further illustrates a snap frame where movable members are rotated outwardly to facilitate removal of a transparent cover member, from the front, in order to access a background. A replacement background may be positioned within the fixed frame, interposed between the backer board, and the clear cover, which protects the background once it is secured in place by snapping movable members to a closed position.

<CIT> relates to rapid mount advertising panels. The document discloses advertising panels for motor vehicles, such as lorries, wherein a plurality of panels are removably attached in such a manner, that as a group they form a large bill board surface. The display panels are constructed and designed to resist sagging and distortion due to the effect of heat, wind, etc. when the truck is moving.

Various display signs for office use exist, and the present inventor has developed an improved sign which allows conveniently for removal and/or replacement of a display insert.

In one aspect the present invention provides a display sign according to claim <NUM>, comprising: a main body; a display section; and a movable body, which is movable in relation to the main body and configured to provide for locking and release of the display section so as to allow for removal and/or replacement of at least part of the display section wherein the main body includes a cavity and the movable body comprises a slider which is slideably disposed in the cavity of the main body characterised in that the slider includes at least one recess which is disposed adjacent at least one first engagement element of the slider, the recesses each having a width which is greater than the width of first engagement elements of the main body, such that, when the slider is moved in a first direction, the recesses in the slider can be aligned with the first engagement elements of the main body, which allows the movable body to be moved in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, with the first engagement elements of the main body being received in the recesses in the slider.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinbelow by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

The display sign comprises a main body <NUM>, a display section <NUM> and a movable body <NUM>, which is movable in relation to the main body <NUM> and configured to provide for locking and release of the display section <NUM> so as to allow for removal and/or replacement of at least part of the display section <NUM>; wherein the main body <NUM> includes a cavity <NUM> and the movable body <NUM> comprises a slider <NUM> which is slideably disposed in the cavity <NUM> of the main body <NUM> characterised in that the slider <NUM> includes at least one recess <NUM> which is disposed adjacent at least one first engagement element <NUM> of the slider <NUM>, the recesses <NUM> each having a width which is greater than the width of first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, such that, when the slider <NUM> is moved in a first direction, the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM> can be aligned with the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, which allows the movable body <NUM> to be moved in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, with the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> being received in the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM>.

In this embodiment the main body <NUM> is formed of sheets or panels, here of plastics material, which are bonded, such as by adhesive.

In this embodiment the main body <NUM> comprises a rear section <NUM>, which is mounted to a wall or other building structure, a spacer <NUM> which is disposed to one, front face of the rear section <NUM> and spaces a face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> from the rear section <NUM>, and an engagement section <NUM> to which the display section <NUM> is engaged.

In this embodiment the spacer <NUM> and the engagement section <NUM> define a recess <NUM> therebetween, in which the display section <NUM> is disposed.

In this embodiment the spacer <NUM>, as particularly illustrated in <FIG>, includes an aperture <NUM> which is shaped captively to retain a slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM>, but allow movement of the movable body <NUM> in first and second orthogonal directions X, Y.

In this embodiment the engagement section <NUM> comprises an engagement element <NUM>, which is attached to the front face of the rear section <NUM> and includes at least one recess, here a plurality of recesses <NUM>, for receiving the display section <NUM>, and a face panel <NUM>, which is attached to the engagement element <NUM>.

In this embodiment the engagement section <NUM> provides a lower, footer to the display sign.

In this embodiment the main body <NUM> includes a cavity <NUM>, in which the slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> is slideable.

In this embodiment the cavity <NUM> is substantially rectangular in profile and has opposed longitudinal sides <NUM> and opposed ends <NUM>.

In this embodiment the main body <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of first engagement elements <NUM>, which are arranged in spaced relation.

In this embodiment the first engagement elements <NUM> are disposed to one, here the upper, of the longitudinal sides <NUM> of the cavity <NUM> and the other, here the lower, of the longitudinal sides <NUM> of the cavity <NUM> defines a sliding surface on which the slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> is slideable in the first direction X.

In this embodiment the first engagement elements <NUM> each include a detent <NUM>, here at the distal end thereof.

In this embodiment the first engagement elements <NUM> comprise projections which have a width d<NUM> and extend in the second direction Y.

In this embodiment the main body <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of second engagement elements <NUM>, which act to hold the slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> in a latched, open position, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.

In this embodiment the second engagement elements <NUM> are disposed to respective ends <NUM> of the cavity <NUM>.

In this embodiment the second engagement elements <NUM> are resilient elements, which engage corresponding engagement elements <NUM> on the slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM>.

In this embodiment the second engagement elements <NUM> each include a detent <NUM>, here in the form of a recess.

In this embodiment the main body <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of openings <NUM>, which receive hinge elements <NUM>, <NUM> of the display section <NUM>, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.

In this embodiment the display section <NUM> comprises a display insert <NUM> which bears information, and a display panel <NUM> which covers the display insert <NUM> to enclose the same.

In this embodiment the display insert <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of tab elements <NUM>, here at a lower edge thereof, which locate in the recesses <NUM> in the engagement section <NUM>, and, with the movable body <NUM> in the unlocked position, the display section <NUM> allows for hinging of the display panel <NUM> and removal and/or replacement of the display insert <NUM>.

In this embodiment the display insert <NUM> is formed of paper, but could be formed of other materials, such as card or plastics sheet.

In this embodiment the display panel <NUM> is at least partially transparent so as to allow information on the display insert <NUM> to be viewed.

In this embodiment the display panel <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of tab elements <NUM>, here at a lower edge thereof, which locate in the recesses <NUM> in the engagement section <NUM>.

In an alternative embodiment the display section <NUM> could comprise only the display panel <NUM> which bears information.

In this embodiment the movable body <NUM> comprises a slider <NUM> which is captively disposed within the cavity <NUM> in the main body <NUM> and a face panel <NUM> which is attached to slider <NUM>, such that the slider <NUM> is moved by movement of the face panel <NUM>.

In this embodiment the slider <NUM> is substantially rectangular in profile and has longitudinal sides <NUM> and ends <NUM>.

In this embodiment the slider <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of first engagement elements <NUM>, which are arranged in spaced and counterpart relation to the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, and at least one, here a plurality of second engagement elements <NUM>, which are arranged in spaced and counterpart relation to the second engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>.

In this embodiment the first engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> are disposed to one of the longitudinal sides <NUM> of the slider <NUM> and the other of the longitudinal sides <NUM> of the slider <NUM> defines a sliding surface which engages the sliding surface of the other, lower longitudinal side <NUM> of the cavity <NUM> in the main body <NUM>.

In this embodiment the first engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> each include a detent <NUM>, here in the form of a recess, which engages the respective detent <NUM> on the counterpart first engagement element <NUM> of the main body <NUM>.

In this embodiment the first engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> are resilient elements, which allow the detents <NUM>, <NUM> to be engaged and disengaged with movement of the movable body <NUM> in the first direction X.

In this embodiment the second engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> each include a detent <NUM>.

In this embodiment the slider <NUM> includes at least one, here a plurality of recesses <NUM>, which are disposed adjacent the at least one, here plurality of first engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM>.

In this embodiment the recesses <NUM> each have a width d<NUM> which is greater than the width d<NUM> of the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, such that, when the slider <NUM> is moved in the first direction X, the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM> can be aligned with the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, which allows the movable body <NUM> to be moved in a second direction Y, orthogonal to the first direction X, with the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> being received in the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM>, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.

In this embodiment the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> provides an upper, header of the display sign.

Operation of the display sign will now be described with reference to <FIG> of the accompanying drawings.

In a first step, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> is slid in the first direction X, here laterally to the right, which causes the slider <NUM> to be moved in the first direction X from a locked position, releasing the detents <NUM> of the first engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> from the detents <NUM> of the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, to an intermediate position, in which the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> are aligned with the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM>. In this intermediate position, the display section <NUM> remains locked in a locked position by engagement of the display panel <NUM> of the display section <NUM> behind the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM>.

Subsequently, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> is slid in the second direction Y, here upwardly, which causes the slider <NUM> to be moved in the second direction Y from the intermediate position to an open position, in which the movable body <NUM> is latched open and the display panel <NUM> of the display section <NUM> is disengaged from the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM>, allowing the display section <NUM> to be opened for removal and replacement.

In moving the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> in the second direction Y, the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> are received in the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM>, and the detents <NUM> of the second engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> engage the detents <NUM> of the second engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> and latch the slider <NUM>, and hence the movable body <NUM>, in the open position.

With the movable body <NUM> in the open position, the display section <NUM> can be opened to allow for removal and/or replacement of at least part thereof, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. In this embodiment the display sheet <NUM>, which bears information, is removed and/or replaced.

Following removal and/or replacement of the display section <NUM>, the display section <NUM> is closed, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>.

Then, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the face panel <NUM> of the movable body <NUM> is slid in the second direction Y, here downwardly, which causes the slider <NUM> to be moved in the second direction Y from the open position to the intermediate position, in which the detents <NUM> of the second engagement elements <NUM> of the slider <NUM> are disengaged from the detents <NUM> of the second engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> and the first engagement elements <NUM> of the main body <NUM> are withdrawn from the recesses <NUM> in the slider <NUM> of the movable body <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A display sign, comprising:
a main body (<NUM>);
a display section (<NUM>); and
a movable body (<NUM>), which is movable in relation to the main body (<NUM>) and configured to provide for locking and release of the display section (<NUM>) so as to allow for removal and/or replacement of at least part of the display section (<NUM>);
wherein the main body (<NUM>) includes a cavity (<NUM>) and the movable body (<NUM>) comprises a slider (<NUM>) which is slideably disposed in the cavity (<NUM>) of the main body (<NUM>)
characterised in that
the main body includes at least one first engagement element (<NUM>),
the slider (<NUM>) includes at least one recess (<NUM>), the at least one recess (<NUM>) having a width which is greater than the width of the at least one first engagement element (<NUM>) of the main body (<NUM>), such that, when the slider (<NUM>) is moved in a first direction, the at least one recess (<NUM>) in the slider (<NUM>) can be aligned with the at least one first engagement element (<NUM>) of the main body (<NUM>), which allows the movable body (<NUM>) to be moved in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, with the at least one first engagement element (<NUM>) of the main body (<NUM>) being received in the at least one recess (<NUM>) in the slider (<NUM>).