Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority on Canadian Patent Application No. 2,434,291, filed on Jul. 4, 2003.  
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to scrolling display apparatuses for sequentially displaying advertisement sheets and, more particularly, to connector mechanisms for connecting advertisement sheets to a scrolling apparatus.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0003]     Display apparatuses with sequential scrolls of advertisement sheets are well known and broadly used. Such apparatuses allow advertisers to share display spaces and owners of the spaces to profit from the rental of these spaces.  
         [0004]     A well-known type of these scrolling display apparatuses comprise a pair of parallel rollers spaced from one another. A film supporting a sequence of advertisement images is unwound from the first roller to be wound onto the second roller in a first displaying sequence. Once the film has been completely unwound from the first roller, the sequence is reversed to wind the film onto the first roller.  
         [0005]     Although such display apparatuses are relatively simple, the nonuniform sequence of the image display is problematic. More specifically, the end images get about half as much exposure as the in-between images of the film. Also, when the film reaches an end of the sequence, the penultimate image is shown twice in a three-display sequence. Accordingly, the attention span of an observer may be shortened by the lack of novelty in the displays he observes. Also, it is known that the attention span is relatively short, and it is therefore preferable to squeeze as many different images as possible into this attention span, rather than showing a repeat of a same image.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, other types of display apparatuses have been provided with continuous display sequences. For instances, U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,987, issued on Jan. 11, 1994, to Honse, discloses a display system for advertisement sheets having a storage rack with an entrance and an exit. A belt drive entrains a first display sheet from the exit in a circuitous pathway to a display area. Thereafter, the first display sheet is returned to the entrance of the storage rack, behind the other sheets. This display system operates in a “first-in, first-out” fashion, whereby all other display sheets will have to be displayed prior to the first display sheet being entrained by the belt drive.  
         [0007]     In such display systems, the display sheets must be installed onto the existing belt drives. The display sheets are, for instance, glued to the drives, or have connectors (such as zipper, Zip-lock™ mechanisms) glued thereto for subsequent installation on the drive.  
         [0008]     Unfortunately, the bonding of the connectors to the display sheets or of the display sheets to the drive is not very convenient, especially if the bonding takes place on site. For instance, the curing time of bonds or glues is typically 24 hours at room temperature before exposure to lower temperatures. Accordingly, the bonding of the advertisement sheet to the connectors cannot be performed on outdoor sites below certain temperatures. In cases where connectors are used, it is possible to supply additional sets of connectors to be bonded to the advertisement sheets prior to the on-site installation. However, this represents additional costs, and hence is not an optimal solution considering that the advertisement sheets are relatively cheaper in price than the connectors. It is possible to lessen the strength of the bond or shorten the curing time, but this may ultimately result in the advertisement sheets dislodging from the display system, and cause inoperability of the display system.  
         [0009]     Accordingly, because of the inconvenience provided by the use of glue or bond fixing the connectors to the advertisement sheets, some advertisement sheets of display apparatuses go unchanged in some cooler countries during the cooler periods. Therefore, such display apparatuses are less appealing to some products having shorter lifespans, if advertisement contracts are struck with relatively long terms (e.g., six months) that are scheduled to avoid advertisement sheet changes in the cooler weather.  
         [0010]     Another drawback of display apparatuses is the premature ripping of advertisement sheets. The advertisement sheets are typically of a nonextendible material, and the connectors attaching the advertisement sheets of the display apparatus keep the advertisement sheets taut. The advertisement sheets are displaced in a circuit in which they follow both straight and arcuate paths. In the arcuate paths of the circuit, the distance between the connectors at opposite ends of an advertisement sheet often varies slightly, thereby causing unwanted tension or ballooning in the advertisement sheet. This unwanted tension can cause the advertisement sheet to rip, thereby causing the inoperability of the display apparatus. This situation is likely to occur during cooler periods, in which the advertisement sheets contract due to exposure to cold temperatures. Considering the inefficient change of advertisement sheets: as set forth above, the ripping of an advertisement sheet in cold weather is likely to result in an extended downtime of the display apparatus.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0011]     Therefore, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a display apparatus that substantially overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.  
         [0012]     It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a display apparatus in which display sheets are changeable on site for immediate use notwithstanding the ambient temperature.  
         [0013]     Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus for sequentially displacing sheets to a display position, comprising: a drive for displacing sheets to a display position; an actuator for actuating the drive; and at least one connector for connecting a sheet to the drive such that the sheet is displaceable to the display position, the connector having a longitudinal member connected to the drive for supporting an edge portion of the sheet, and an abutment portion securable against the longitudinal member for retaining the edge portion of the sheet therebetween.  
         [0014]     Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus for sequentially displacing sheets to a display position, comprising: a drive for displacing sheets in a circuit to a display position; an actuator for actuating the drive; and at least one connector device for connecting opposed ends of a sheet along the drive, the connector device having (i) a first connector securing a first edge portion of a sheet to the drive, and (ii) a second connector device having a longitudinal member secured to drive so as to be restrictively displaceable along the drive, an abutment portion securable against the longitudinal member for retaining the edge portion of the sheet therebetween, and a tensioner connecting the longitudinal member to the drive to maintain the sheet in a taut condition with a predetermined tension.  
         [0015]     Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a connector for connecting a sheet to a drive of a display apparatus for sequentially displacing sheets to a display position, comprising: a longitudinal member for supporting an edge portion of the sheet; connector ends for connecting the longitudinal member to the drive; and an abutment portion securable against the longitudinal member for retaining the edge portion of the sheet therebetween. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a display apparatus constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, exploded view of a first connector end of the display apparatus;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, enlarged perspective view of a second connector of the display apparatus;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the second connector;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged side elevation view of a coupling between the a connector and of a drive of the display apparatus; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a display apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a display apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally shown at  10 . The display apparatus  10  generally comprises a drive  20 , an actuator  30 , a first connector  40  and a second connector  50  to displace sheets (i.e., advertisement sheets, support sheet for advertisement posters, etc.) such as that illustrated by A to a display position. As an example, a display window is schematically shown at W. Thus, in the display position, an image I on the sheet A (e.g., sheet A being an advertisement sheet in  FIG. 1 ) is in register with the display window W so as to be seen by an observer through the display window W.  
         [0024]     The drive  20  is provided to displace the advertisement sheet A to the display position. Components of the drive  20  will bear reference numerals from  20  to  29 . The drive  20  has a drive roller  21  and an idler roller  22 . The drive roller  21  and the idler roller  22  are parallel and spaced from one another. The drive roller  21  has an axle  21 A about which it rotates. Similarly, the idler roller  22  has an axle  22 A about which it rotates. The drive roller  21  and the idler roller  22  are operatively interconnected by a pair of drive belts  23  (or, alternatively, chains, moving carpet or the like), by which an actuation of the drive roller  21  will be transmitted to the idler roller  22 .  
         [0025]     In the preferred embodiment, the drive belts  23  ensure that the drive roller  21  and the idler roller  22  have the same rotational speed. The outer surfaces of the drive roller  21  and the idler roller  22  may be the drive belts  23 , or may be equipped with sprockets when the drive belt  23  is a chain. As seen in FIGS.  2  to  4 , the drive belts  23  are provided with connection pins  24  and connection plates, one of which is shown at  25  in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the actuator  30  is provided for actuating the drive  20 . Components associated with the actuator  30  will bear reference numerals from  30  to  39 . The actuator  30  has a motor  31 . The motor  31  has an output shaft  32 , which is operatively connected to the axle  21 A of the drive roller  21  by way of a drive belt or chain  33  or the like, and appropriately equipped for the drive transmission from the actuator  30  to the drive  20 . Therefore, the drive roller  21  will be actuated by the motor  31 .  
         [0027]     The actuator  30  also has a sensor  34  and a controller  35 . The controller  35  is wired to the motor  31  so as to control the actuation of the motor  31  as a function of signals from the sensor  34 . Accordingly, once an advertisement sheet is in the appropriate display position, the sensor  34 , having detected this position, will signal to the controller  35  to pause the actuation of the motor  31  to hold the advertisement sheet A in the appropriate display position for a predetermined amount of time. A light source may be provided in the gap  36  between opposed sides of the actuation circuit, to illuminate the advertisement sheet A in the display position ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first connector  40  is provided to connect a first edge portion A 1  of the advertisement sheet A to the drive  20 . The components of the first connector  40  will bear reference numerals from  40  to  49 . The first connector  40  has a longitudinal support member  41  having connector ends  41 A at opposed ends thereof one of which is shown in  FIG. 3 ), by which it is connected to the drive  20 . More precisely, the connector ends  41 A each define a slot  42  that will receive therein a pair of connection pins  24  of the drive  20 . The connection pins  24  are fitted without play in the slots  42 , such that the longitudinal support member  41  is fixed between drive belts  23 , as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]     An elongated spacer  43  defining a longitudinal channel  43 A, and a bracket  44  (i.e., a removable cover) having connector ends  44 A (one of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ), are provided to anchor the first edge portion A 1  of the advertisement sheet A to the longitudinal support member  41 . The first edge portion A 1  of the advertisement sheet A is preferably provided with a pleat. The first edge portion A 1  is positioned onto the longitudinal support member  41 , the latter being connected to the drive  20 . The elongated spacer  43  could optionally be positioned on the longitudinal support member  41  to act as a cushion for the first edge portion A 1  and increase the adherence thereon. The bracket  44  is installed thereafter to squeeze the first edge portion A 1  against the spacer  43  to fix the first edge portion A 1  of the advertisement sheet thereto. The elongated spacer  43  would reduce the risk of tear of the advertisement sheet A, at the pleat, and increase the adherence between the advertisement sheet A and the bracket  44 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bracket  44  is provided with a spring pin  45  that is biased outwardly to engage a hole  46  in the connector end  41 A of the first connector  40 . The opposite end of the bracket  44  is similarly mated to the respective connector end  41  of the first connector  40 , yet a biasing action is not required thereat. The locking of the bracket  44  onto the longitudinal support member  41  is thus readily performed by manual actuation of the spring pin  45 .  
         [0031]     It is preferred to have the pleat at the first edge portion A 1 , as it has the effect of a hook for the advertisement sheet A on the longitudinal support member  41 . However, if suitable clamping is provided by the abutment portion (i.e., the bracket  44 ), the first edge portion A 1  can simply be retained between the bracket  44  and one of the surfaces of the longitudinal support member  41 .  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the second connector  50  is provided to connect a second edge portion A 2  of the advertisement sheet A to the drive  20 . The second connector  50  is relatively similar to the first connector  40 . Hence, components of the second connector  50  having an equivalent on the first connector  40  will bear the same reference numeral with a prime. The second connector  50  has a longitudinal support member  41 ′, with connector ends  41 A′ each defining a slot  42 ′ for being connected to the drive  20 . The second connector  50  also has an elongated spacer  43 ′ defining a longitudinal channel  43 A′, and a bracket  44 ′ with connector ends  44 A′ (one of which is shown at  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the second edge portion A 2  of the advertisement sheet A is initially provided with a pleat. In similar fashion to the steps described above for connecting the first edge portion A 1  to the longitudinal member  41 , the second edge portion A 2  is positioned onto the longitudinal support member  41 ′, the latter being connected to the pair of connection pins  24  of the drive  20 . The elongated spacer  43 ′ could optionally be positioned on the longitudinal support member  41 ′ to act as a cushion for the second edge portion A 2  and increase the adherence thereon. The bracket  44 ′ is installed thereafter to squeeze the second edge portion A 2  against the spacer  43 ′ to fix the second edge portion A 2  of the advertisement sheet thereto. The bracket  44 ′ is provided with a pin  45 ′ spring biased outwardly to engage a hole  46 ′ in the connector end  41 A′ of the second connector  50 .  
         [0034]     The spacers  43  and  43 ′ preferably consist of a resilient material, such as a rubber or a similar polymeric material, to provide suitable friction and to act as a cushion. As mentioned above, the second edge portion A 2  is preferably initially provided with a pleat, knowing the distance between the longitudinal support members  41  and  41 ′ of the display apparatus  10 . However, it is also contemplated to provide advertisement sheets free of pleats at the second edge portion, with the second edge portion being folded to define the pleat on site.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the slots  42 ′ of the second connector  50 , unlike the slots  42  of the first connector  40 , are sized to allow a play of the second connector  50  in the directions illustrated by V 1  and V 2 . The second connector  50  has fingers  51  on each of the connector ends  41 A′. Each finger  51  is connected to a tensioner  52  having an end fixed to the connection plate  25  of the drive  20 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tensioners  52  are tension springs, but may also be any type of elastic resilient member. The tensioners  52 , in combination with the play of the second connector  50  with respect to the drive  20  (allowed by the size of the slot  42 ′ versus the spacing between the connection pins  24 ) will keep the advertisement sheet A in a taut condition with a desired tension.  
         [0036]     Preferably, the second connector  50  is the leading connector in the displacement of the advertisement sheet A in the display apparatus  10 , whereas the first connector  40  is the following connector. It is also contemplated to have the second edge portion A 2  secured to the display apparatus  10  first.  
         [0037]     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a single connection pin  24  is provided for each slot  42  of the first connector  4 Q and/or for each slot  42 ′ of the second connector  50 . In this alternative embodiment, the single connection pin  24  serves as pivot for the connectors  40  and  50 . This alternative embodiment is advantageously used for rollers (e.g., such as the drive roller  21  and the idler roller  22 ) of relatively smaller radius, typically used in thinner assemblies, allowing for thinner sign constructions as opposed to bulkier constructions. On the other hand, the embodiment using pairs of connection pins  24  ensures an alignment between the connectors  40  and  50 , and the plane of the sheet A, for straight portions of the pathway. The embodiment using pairs of connection pins  24  is advantageously used for rollers of relatively larger radius, typically used with thicker/larger assemblies.  
         [0038]     The tensioners  52  enable a problem of typical display apparatuses  10  to be overcome. As is the case in the present display apparatus  10 , the advertisement sheets follow arcuate paths at some point in their displacements in the display apparatus  10 . When either one of the first connector  40  and the second connector  50  passes over either one of the rollers  21  and  22 , the distance between the first connector  40  and the second connector  50  will decrease or increase slightly. The increase is due to the fact that the connectors  40  and  50  are flat and thus do not follow perfectly the arcuate path portions of the drive  20 . The decrease is due to the fact that the advertisement sheets tend to follow a tighter arcuate path than the connectors  40  and  50 , thereby causing some looseness in the advertisement sheets.  
         [0039]     Therefore, in combination with the play between the slots  42 ′ and the connection pins  24 , the tensioners  52  will keep the advertisement sheets taut during the slight variations in the distance between the connectors  40  and  50 , by contracting to absorb the looseness, or by extending to absorb the tensioning, that would otherwise be produced on the advertisement sheets (such as A in  FIG. 1 ). This reduces the risk of possible damages to the advertisement sheets. The desired tension in the tensioner  52  is sufficient to maintain the advertisement sheets in a taut condition when absorbing the variation in distance between the connectors  40  and  50 . It is pointed out that the interconnection between the drive  20  and the first connector  40  and the second connector  50  can have other suitable configurations as alternatives to the connections pins  24 /slots  42  and  42 ′ (e.g., flat plates, hooks, or the like).  
         [0040]     In an alternative embodiment, in which the display apparatus  10  has the sheets A displaced in a vertical direction (i.e., with the rollers  21  and  22  parallel to the ground), the tensioners  52  could be removed, in which case the weight of the bottom connector (i.e., the first connector  40  in  FIG. 1 ) keeps the sheet A in a taut condition. In such an embodiment, it is contemplated to provide some play between both connectors  40  and  50  and the pins  24 , to enable a simultaneous back-and-forth motion between both connectors  40  and  50  and their respective connection pins  24 . This play is provided by the length of the slots  42  and  42 ′, which is determined as a function of the pathway (e.g., arcuate portions). In this embodiment, it is contemplated to use either single connection pins  24  or pairs of connection pins  24 .  
         [0041]     It is contemplated to use a semi-rigid self-standing panel for the advertisement sheets (e.g. A in  FIG. 1 ), in which case only the second connector  50  (i.e., the leading connector) would be required. In such a case the panel should be flexible enough to curve in the arcuate path portions of the display apparatus  10 , while regaining its planar shape for the display position.  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an alternative embodiment is shown, in which the sheet A is a support sheet upon which an advertisement sheet (not shown) will be supported. The support sheet A is selected to as to be able to sustain the tension caused by the tensioners  52 , and may be permanently secured to the longitudinal support members  41  and  41 ′.  
         [0043]     The support sheet A is, for instance, a clear polycarbonate sheet, or of a similar material. The polycarbonate sheet A (e.g., thickness of 0.007″) is capable of withstanding the tension caused by the tensioners  52 , and is relatively stable in thermal expansion/contraction for the temperatures to which the display apparatus  10  or  10 ′ will be exposed. The support sheet A is of a smaller length than the advertisement sheet it will support, if the advertisement sheet is also retained by the connectors  40  and  50 , such that the support sheet A will absorb the tension caused by the tensioners  52 , thereby lessening the risk of tearing of the advertisement sheet. It is also contemplated to provide the support sheet A in the form of a pocket (e.g., a pair of polycarbonate sheets superposed with an opening) for accommodating an advertisement sheet A.  
         [0044]     Other means may be used to lessen the tension to which the advertisement sheet A of  FIG. 1  is exposed. For instance, strips (e.g., of polycarbonate), wire braiding (e.g., of nylon) or thin metal wiring (e.g., of steel) could be used to interconnect the connectors  40  and,  50  so as to reduce the exposure of the advertisement sheet A to the tension.  
         [0045]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the idler roller  22  is held in position by a pair of biasing members  60 . Although illustrated as being connected to the idler roller  22 , these biasing members  60  could be connected to the drive roller  21 . The biasing members  60  will help to keep the drive belt  23  in a taut condition.  
         [0046]     It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the embodiments described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: g