EP0015747A1

EP0015747A1 - Poster display device

Info

Publication number: EP0015747A1
Application number: EP80300673A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Dreyfus Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-03-05
Filing date: 1980-03-05
Publication date: 1980-09-17

Abstract

A box frame comprises four extruded lengths 10. Across the front of the frame is a translucent backing panel 14. A transparent front panel 18 sandwiches a poster 16 against the backing panel 14, and is normally held in this condition by a peripheral moulding 20. To change the poster, the moulding is hinged about hinges 28 away from the frame 10, the front panel 18 being retained to the moulding by clips 40 slidable in a channel 36. The panel 18 is held firm in the clips 40 by a resilient sealing strip 48. The backing panel 14 is similarly retained to the frame 10 by further clips 40, which are also used to hold the poster 16. This facilitates changing the poster and obviates the necessity to use adhesive tape to hold the poster.

Description

This invention relates to display devices, and more particularly to devices for displaying posters and the like.
Posters and the like are nowadays frequently displayed in a box-like frame, behind a transparent front panel, usually of an acrylic plastics material. The poster is sandwiched between the transparent panel and a backing panel on the front of the frame, and the transparent panel is retained to the frame by a moulding around its periphery. It will be understood that in practice this "moulding" is not usually moulded in fact, but rather is fabricated or extruded e.g. from metal. It is possible for the backing panel to be translucent, so_ that lights can be mounted within the frame to illuminate the poster. To change the poster, it is necessary to remove the peripheral moulding, followed by the transparent front panel, and then the existing poster. A new poster is then sandwiched between the front panel and the backing panel, while the moulding is replaced. This is a rather difficult manipulation, and accordingly the. poster is commonly attached to the backing panel, for example by adhesive tape, before replacement of the front panel. Even so, the operation is rather difficult, especially if the frame is mounted high up on a wall or on a post, so that it is necessary to use a ladder to work on it. For example, it is necessary to take the moulding down the ladder before removing the front panel, and there is then a danger of the front panel falling down before it can be removed.
A further difficulty with these known display devices is that provision is not made to weatherproof the frame, and in particular to prevent the ingress of moisture. Such moisture then causes the deterioration of the poster, or it may become detached from the backing sheet and creep downwards between the front and backing panels under gravity. The ingress of moisture is also dangerous in an illuminated display device.
According to the present invention, there is provided a display device comprising a frame, a backing panel across the front of the frame, a transparent front panel for fitting over the backing panel to sandwich a poster or the like between them, and a peripheral moulding around the front panel which is securable to the frame to hold the front panel against the backing panel, characterised in that the front panel is retained in the moulding on removal of the latter away from the frame.
Preferably, the moulding is hinged to the frame. Preferably the front panel is retained to the moulding by means of a clip which is attachable to the moulding and which has a depending portion passing over the edge of the front panel. The clip may be U-shaped with one arm having means for attachment to the moulding, and the other, free arm providing the depending portion. Preferably more than one clip is used, and preferably the clips are slidably attached to the moulding, so that the positions of the clips can be adjusted to support the front panel.
The backing panel may be retained to the frame with similar clips. Preferably there is a resilient member between the backing panel and the frame, which urges the backing panel against the depending arm of the clip remote from the attachment to the frame, and which may also act as a seal to prevent the ingress of moisture behind the backing panel. This ensures that the the backing panel is held firmly in the clips. It also enables the fixing of a poster to the backing panel by placing its edges under the depending arms of the clips, between the clips and the backing panel, whereupon the poster will be held by the resilience of the resilient member.
There may similarly be a resilient member between the front panel and the moulding, either in addition to or instead of the resilient member between the backing panel and the frame.
In one embodiment the backing panel is translucent, and lights are provided within the frame in order to illuminate the poster.
Two poster display devices according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are corresponding cross-sections of parts of the lmodevices, respectively, and
Fig. 3 shows a clip for use in either device.

The display devices each comprise a box-like frame made from four lengths of an aluminium extrusion, the ends of which are mitred and secured together in a rectangle. Figs. 1 and 2 are cross-sections through one only of the four lengths of the respective devices.
Referring to Fig. 1, the frame is made from four lengths of an extrusion 10, and is closed to the rear by a rear panel (not shown), and to the front by a translucent sheet of an acrylic plastics material 14, which forms a backing panel for a poster 16. The poster 16 is sandwiched between the backing panel 14 and a transparent front panel 18, also of acrylic plastics material. Around the periphery of the front panel 18 is a moulding 20, which is also formed from four lengths of an aluminium extrusion mitred at the ends and joined together in a rectangle. This is achieved by an L-shaped member (not shown) in each corner, the arms of which are received in the ends of a hollow section 22 in the extrusion 20, the extrusion 20 on both sides of the corner being crimped to the L-shaped member. Alternatively, other means of joining the ends of the extrusions 20 could be used.
The moulding extrusion 20 and the frame extrusion 10 have opposing channels 24, which have inturned lips 26 in order to form restricted mouths. Along one side of the moulding 20, and the corresponding side of the frame 10, hinge members 28 are secured in the opposing channels 24, so that the moulding 20 and frame 10 can be hinged together along that side. These hinge members 28 are arranged in pairs, one on the moulding 20 and one just below it on the frame 10, and have an eye 32 through which in use is passed a hinge pin (not shown). There are two or three such pairs along the hinged side of the moulding or frame. Along the other sides of the moulding and frame (not seen in the drawings) there is provided suitable means for locking the moulding and frame in a closed position.
Near the edges of the panels 14,18, the extrusions 10,20 have respective opposing channels 34,36, again with inturned lips 38 to form restricted mouths. In these channels 34,36 there are provided a plurality of U-shaped clips 40, seen in more detail in Fig. 3, and of which only two are seen in Fig. 1, one behind the other. One depending arm 41 of the clip 40 is free, but the other is turned outwardly and terminates in a T-shaped flange 42, which is dimensioned to be a sliding fit in the channel 34 or 36. In use, the edges of the panels 14,18 fit into the U's of the clips 40 and are retained to the moulding or frame by the depending arm 41. The clips 40 are about 5 or 6 cm in length, and can be freely slid along the channels 34,36 to desired positions in which they hold the panels 14,18. This slidability is useful on initial insertion of the panels (which will be done by flexing the panels slightly) and if it should be desired to remove the panels for any reason. There are provided two clips 40 at the top and bottom lengths of the moulding 20, and one each on each side, and similarly on the frame 10.
Next to the channels 34,36 on the mouldings 20,10 and slightly further inwardly from the edge of the panels 14,18, further channels 44,46 respectively are provided in the extrusions. These channels have trapezoidal cross-sections, with restricted mouths, and are dimensioned to accept a commercially available resilient sealing strip 48. This provides a seal right the way around the moulding 20 and the frame 10 between the moulding 20 and frame 10 and the panel 18 or 14 respectively. This not only helps to prevent the ingress of moisture, but also the resilience of the sealing strip causes the panels 14,18 to press against the free arms 41 of the clips 40. This means that the panels 14,18 are received snugly in the clips 40. It also causes the flange 42 of the clips 40 to bear against the inturned lips 38. Thus, the clips 40 are prevented from sliding around in the channels 34,36. It is also possible, when installing a poster 16, to slip the edges of the poster under the free arms 41 of the clips 40 (usually those holding the backing panel 14), and they are then held there between the arms 41 and the panel by the resilience of the sealing strips 48.
Inside the frame 10 there are provided lamps (not shown), for example fluorescent lamps, which will illuminate the poster 16 through the translucent panel 14. It would obviously be dangerous if moisture were to penetrate within the frame 10 to the electrical connections to the lamps, and the sealing strips 48 help to prevent this.
In place of a plain rear panel to the frame, the structure described may be duplicated on the obverse face of the frame to form a double-sided poster display device.
Fig. 2 shows an alternative display device, which is not intended to be internally illuminated, and which therefore has a frame 12 which is somewhat slimmer than the frame 10 of Fig. 1. Otherwise, however, the embodiment of Fig. 2 has many features in common with Fig. 1, to which are given similar reference numbers. The description of such features will not be repeated. It will be seen that to the rear of the frame 12 there is a channel 50 having a restricted mouth, similar to the channels 24. This channel 50 may be used to join together several similar display devices, for exampl grouped around a central pillar. The display devices could be joined rigidly, or hinged by means of hinge elements 28. In such non-illuminated display devices, the backing panel 14 need not be translucent, and it could be made of metal. Indeed, it would be possible for the backing panel 14 to be secured to the frame 10, rather than being supported by clips 40.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a frame (10;12), a backing panel (14) across the front of Lhe frame, a transparent front panel (18) for fitting over the backing panel to sandwich a poster or the like (16) between them, and a peripheral moulding (20) around the front panel which is securable to the frame to hold the front panel against the backing panel, characterised in that the front panel is retained in the moulding on removal of the latter away from the frame.

2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein the moulding (20) is hinged (28) to the frame (10;12).

3. A display device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the front panel (18) is retained to the moulding (20) by a clip (40) which is attachable to the moulding and which has a depending portion (41) passing over the edge of the front panel.

4. A display device according to claim 3 wherein the clip (40) is U-shaped with one arm having means (42) for attachment to the moulding, and the other, free arm providing the depending portion (41).

5. A display device according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein more than one clip (40) is used, and the clips are slidably attached to the moulding, so that the positions of the clips can be adjusted to support the front panel.

6. A display device according to any one of claims 3,' 4 and 5 wherein the backing panel (14) is retained to the frame (10;12) by one or more clips (40) similar to that used to retain the front panel (18) to the moulding (20).

7. A display device according to claim 6 wherein there is a resilient member (48) between the backing panel (14) and the frame (10;12), which urges the backing panel against the depending portion(s) (41) of its clip or clips (40).

8. A display device according to any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein there is a resilient member (48) between the front panel (18) and the moulding (20), which urges the backing panel against the depending arm(s) (41) of its clip or clips (40). -

9. A display device according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the or either resilient member (48) also acts as a seal to prevent the ingress of moisture.

10. A display device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the backing panel (14) is translucent and lights are provided within the frame in order to illuminate the poster or the like (16).