AU768110B1 - Sign - Google Patents

Description

10926

ORIGINAL

Complete Specification Applicant: Corey Simpson and Cameron Hamilton Title: Sign Address for Service: LESICAR PERRIN, 49 Wright Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

SIGN

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sign. In particular, the present invention relates to a sign for use on in public places, for example, sporting grounds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The cost of running a sporting team, for example a soccer team, an Australian Rules football team or a rugby team is very high. One of the major costs associated with running a sporting team are those costs that relate to the physical infrastructure and in particular a sporting ground. Where a team plays in a league it is not uncommon for a team to play no more than half of its games at the home ground. Accordingly, to offset at least some of the costs of running the team, the use of shared ground facilities is quite common. Thus, for example two teams playing in the same league can use the same home ground on alternate weekends.

A further method of underwriting the cost of running a sporting team is to seek commercial sponsors and or provide advertising space to sponsors on the ground. Conflicts can arise where two teams use the same ground but have commitments to different sponsors. In such situations, particularly in the case of conflicting sponsors, for example two vehicle manufacturers or two beverage manufacturers, some advertising may need to be removed or at least covered whilst one or other of the teams is playing a match. This results in extra cost to the organisations either because of the cost of removing undesirable advertising for some matches, or because of the lost opportunities for using all advertising space available.

The use of signs in sporting grounds is also of consequence to the players. Team sports are frequently very fast and very physical. In some cases, notably in Australian football, it is very easy for players to crash into advertising signs and injure themselves in the process.

It is to this situation that the present invention is addressed and it is an object of the invention to provide the public with an alternative to signs currently available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to a first aspect of a present invention, although this need not be the broadest nor indeed the only aspect of the invention there is provided a sign including a support having means for removable attachment to a fence; a body, the body having a removable cover and said removable cover including means for attachment to the support.

By using a resiliently deformable material for the sign it is possible to minimise the damage that occurs to players where they inadvertently crash into the signs during use. Thus, there is a benefit to the club with a lower risk of injury in some playing situations.

Preferably, the body is a resiliently deformable body capable of acting as a shock absorber, in such a way that the body may cushion the effect of any player inadvertently crashing into the sign in use.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a means for attachment of the cover to the support includes uppermost tabs projecting from the cover and attachable by any suitable fastening means to the supports.

Preferably, this support comprises a frame having outside dimensions matching those of the sign and one or more internal supporting elements. The internal supporting elements may be either horizontal or vertically aligned or a combination of the two.

Preferably, the support includes hook means for attaching the support over a fence in an easily removable manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a sign in accordance with the invention in use; Figure 2 illustrates the components of the sign of figure 1 is exploded view; Figure 3 shows in detail a body of the sign of figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 illustrates the sign of figure 1 in cross-sectional view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Shown in the drawings is a sign 10 constructed in accordance with the invention. The sign is for use in a sporting ground and can be fixed to a typical wire fence 12 used to separate spectator areas from playing areas in such grounds. The fence 12 is shown in figure 1 and partially in figure 2 and includes a horizontal rail 11, spaced intermediate posts 13 and, in this case a wire mesh 15 extending over the fence area defined by the posts 13-and rail 11.

The sign 10 includes a supporting frame 14 used for attachment of the sign 10 to the fence 12. The supporting frame 14 is a generally rectangular frame having upper and lower cross members 16 and side members 18. In the embodiment under consideration the supporting frame is formed of hollow square sided tubes. However, any suitable rigid supporting material would suffice. The supporting frame 14 further includes a pair of centrally positioned spaced apart strengthening members 20. The strengthening members 20 extend horizontally across the support frame 14 between the side members 18. In alternate forms of the invention strengthening members may be arranged vertically or as cross members. The supporting frame 14 may be fashioned by any convenient means such as by welding in the case of a metal frame.

The sign 10 is attached to the fence 12 by means uppermost hooks 22 which are located on opposing upper edges of the sign 10 towards the rear sides of the supporting frame 14. As can be seen in the drawings the hooks 22 are approximately semi-circular in outline and are shaped so as to fit snugly over the fence rail 11. In addition, a plurality of lowermost U shaped pegs 24 are fitted over the lower cross member 16 and are secured in the ground to safely position the sign against the fence 12. Any undesirable swinging or dislocation of the sign 10 is thereby avoided. However, it can be seen that the pegs 24 are readily positioned and secured into the ground and, at a later time, just as readily removed.

Attached to the supporting frame 14 is a body 26 including a core of resiliently deformable foil foam 28 and an outer casing 30. The resilient foam core 28 and the outer casing 30 are of sufficient size to cover the whole of the supporting frame 14. In addition, the outer casing is adapted to take printed indicia thereon.

The foam core 28 serves to cushion the blows of any game players that may inadvertently crash into the sign 10. The foam core 28 is therefore of sufficient strength and resiliency to withstand the glancing blows or crashes that may occur in game playing. The casing 30 can be formed of any suitably weatherproof material such as PVC of an appropriate weight. The casing is formed by having welded joints, and the casing is essentially an envelope inserted over the core 28. The casing 30 is thus open ended along a longer side thereof to allow easy insertion of the foam core 28. The casing 30 is secured by means of a lowermost flap 32, which has appropriate fastening devices such as a hook and loop fastening (as sold under the trade mark Velcro) 34 located on the rear of the casing 30. The flap 32 assists in weatherproofing the casing and also isolating the core from weather elements. It is also observed that the flap 32 extends along the whole of the length of the lowermost end of the casing 30 thereby ensuring the integrity of the seal formed in closure.

At an uppermost rear side of the casing 30 are located a number of spaced tab connectors 36. The tab connectors 36 are each apertured and enable the casing 30 with the enclosed foam core 28 to be secured by means of screws 35 to the supporting frame 14. The upper cross member 16 of the support frame 14 has a series of spaced apertures 37 that receive the screws 35 to thereby secure the body 26 to the frame 14.

In the embodiment under discussion the foam core 28 and casing 30 are of sufficient weight to ensure that the body as a whole does not move and that the position of the body can be maintained essentially by gravity. However, in alternative embodiments of the invention, it is possible for lowermost tabs to be used to secure the casing to the lowermost part of the frame 14.

In use, the supporting frame 14 is secured to the frames 12 as shown in the drawings. A body 26 having an outside casing 30 with various advertising material thereon can then be secured to the supporting frame for the duration of a game. A number of sign units can be placed side by side to form an advertising band surrounding the playing area to enable to sporting club to maximise any sponsorship or advertising income. Where an alternative sponsor's advertisement is to be used, the body 26 is simply unscrewed by disconnecting the tabs from the frame and an alternative body can be used bearing alternative advertising material. It is also possible for a single core 28 to be used with a variety of outside casings.

Thus, the sign of the invention represents a readily movable or replaceable sign ideally suited to multi-occupancy sporting grounds.

The invention has been described by way of examples only. The examples are not however to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention in any way. Modifications and variations of the invention such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A sign adapted for removable attachment to a fence said sign including a support having means for attachment to a fence and a body, the body having a removable cover and said removable cover including means for attachment of the body to the support.

2. A sign according to claim 1, wherein the body further includes a core within the removable cover, said core being formed of resiliently deformable material.

3. A sign according to claim 2, the wherein the core is a resiliently deformable core capable of acting as a shock absorber, in such a way that the body cushions the effect of any player inadvertently crashing into the sign in use.

4. A sign according to claim 2, wherein the removable cover is a casing formed of any suitably weatherproof material such as PVC of an appropriate weight.

A sign according to claim 4, in which the casing is formed by having welded joints, and the casing is essentially an envelope inserted over the core, having an open end along a longer side thereof to allow easy insertion of the foam core.

6. A sign according to claim 5, wherein the casing is secured by means of a lowermost flap

7. A sign according to any one of the preceding claims in which, the means for attachment of the cover to the support includes a plurality of uppermost tabs projecting from the cover and attachable by any suitable fastening means to the supports.

8. A sign according to any one of the preceding claims, this support further includes a frame having outside dimensions matching those of the body.

9. A sign according to claim 8, wherein the frame additionally includes one or more internal supporting elements.

10. A sign according to claim 9, wherein the internal supporting elements are either horizontal or vertically aligned or a combination of the two.

11. A sign according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support includes hook means for attaching the support over a fence in an easily removable manner.

12. A sign according to any one of the preceding claims in which the sign is provided with additional means for securing the sign to the ground.

13. A sign according to claim 12, wherein the additional means for securing the sign to the ground include a frame to which the body is attached said frame being attached at an uppermost end thereof to a fence and one or more pegs securing the frame to the ground at a lowermost end thereof.

14. A sign as defined in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 30th day of May 2002 Corey Simpson and Cameron Hamilton By their Patent Attorneys LESICAR PERRIN