GB1600003A

GB1600003A - Extruded display member

Info

Publication number: GB1600003A
Application number: GB725477A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-02-21
Filing date: 1978-02-21
Publication date: 1981-10-14

Description

(54) EXTRUDED DISPLAY MEMBER (71) I, DEREK HORACE LEVY, a British subject of 5 Derwent Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to elongate display members, in particular display members formed of extruded metal or plastics material, and to display assemblies formed therefrom.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an elongate display member of unchanging cross-section throughout the length thereof, the elongate display member being of channel form and having a pair of longitudinally extending lateral free edge regions, a zone substantially midway between the lateral free edge regions whose surface disposed externally of the channel of the display member is essentially flat irrespective of the configuration of the opposed inner channel surface of the display member, and a portion positioned between one lateral free edge which is provided with an upstanding lip extending into the interior of said channel and the wall region providing said flat surface, said portion comprising a first part adjacent said wall region and being inclined with respect to said wall region, and a second part adjacent said free edge and lying in a plane at right angles thereto and serving, in use, for supporting display articles on the member held thereon by said lip, the elongate display member being so formed in said lateral free edge regions that elongate display members juxtaposed in edgeto-edge arrangement in like orientation may undergo interengagement in said lateral free edge regions.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a display arrangement comprising a plurality of such display members disposed in like orientation one above the next with adjacent display members undergoing interengagement in said edge regions.

The elongate member of this invention is preferably of extruded type being formed from plastics material, for example polyvinyl chloride or a polyamide. It can also be extruded from metal, in particular aluminium.

Elongate members according to this invention are suitable for use in the display of articles thereon. Thus, if the elongate member possesses a height of about 4 inches, it is suitable for carrying a display of spectacle frames.

Larger cross-sectioned elongate members may be used for displaying, for example, recording cassettes or books.

The flat surface at what is the rear of the elongate member renders the elongate member particularly easy to mount on a flat supporting structure, for example a wall. Particularly when the elongate member is formed of plastics material, that is, it is relatively light, adhesive pads may be employed for such purposes. Adhesive pads would not be satisfactory for use in this manner, in contrast, if instead of being flat, the surface at the rear of the member would be curved.

The channel cross-section of the elongate member may take a number of forms. For example, it may be part of a polygon, an octagon divided in half at approximately the mid-points of a pair of opposite sides being a particularly preferred cross-sectional form. The cross-section may also be curved as zones of the display member may even present flat outer surfaces while presenting curved inner surfaces so that in fact, internally the elongate member may be substantially semi-cylindrical in form.

A particular advantage of the elongate member having a flat 'back' section is that it allows a pair of elongate members to be fastened together back to back to provide a stable structure. Adhesive pads can be used in such a case, although the use of bolts would not be unduly inconvenient. In this way, pairs of elongate members affixed together in such manner may be stacked one upon each other utilising the aforesaid shaping of the edge region to provide a self-standing display unit for displaying articles on each side thereof.

Thus, according to a third aspect of this invention, there is provided a display stand which comprises a pair of display arrangements each comprising a plurality of elongate display members as aforesaid disposed parallel to one another in like orientation one above the next with adjacent display members undergoing interengagement in said edge regions, which display arrangements are in back-to-back juxtaposition with said flat surfaces of the elongate display members of one display ar rangement adjacent the flat said outer surfaces of the elongate display member of the other display members of the other display arrangement, the display arrangements being connected to one another at said flat surfaces.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same can be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the drawings accompanying the Provision Specification wherein: Figure 1 is a transverse section through an elongate member embodying this invention; Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views from front and back respectively of such an elongate member; and Figure 4 shows a plurality of the elongate members utilised in the construction of a selfstanding display assembly.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, it can be seen that an elongate member 1 according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is of substantially half octagonal form in cross-section comprising main wall sections 2,3 and 4. Adjoining main wall section 2 is an edge flange 5 having an upstanding lip 6 adjointed thereto. Adjoining the free edge of the main wall section 4 is a flange 7 which is wider than the flange 5 and terminates in an upstanding lip 8. Depending from the flange 7 are apair of strips 9 and 10 whichbetween them define a groove 11 which is positioned in alignment with the lip 6. The main wall section 3 is continued in a region 12 to terminate at a position substantially level with the flange 7. Ridges 13 and 14 are positioned at the ends of the rear wall 3, 12 of the elongate member.

Turning next to Figure 4 of the drawings, a self-standing assembly can be seen to be formed from a plurality of pairs of elongate members of the type shown in Figures 1 to 3. Each pair of elongate members is in back-to-back arrangement with the elongate members being connected together by means of pairs of adhesive pads 15. The adhesive pads do not run continuously along the length of the elongate members, but are broken up at least at the central part of the length of the elongate members. A rod 16 secured to a screw 17 in the base of a pedestal unit 18 passes up through the assembly of elongate members crossing the rear side of each at the aforesaid central position by passing up through the aforesaid gap in the adhesive pads.

Hence the assembled pairs of elongate members are able to rotate about the central rod. A bushing 19 situated about the base part of the central rod keeps the lowermost pair of elongate members clear of the pedestal 18 to allow unhindered rotation thereof. Rigidity is given to the upper part ofthe uppermost pair of elongate members by inserting the rigid frame 20 into the opening externally of the topmost elongate members defined by the flanges 5 and lips 6 thereof. The height of the assembly will depend upon the size of the elongate members. Thus, if they are of a size suitable for carrying spectacle frames, the assembly may be made up of wall members having a height of about 4 inches to have a total height of about 1 foot 8 inches.

Particularly with assemblies formed from elongate members of larger cross section, it is possible even for the elongate assemblies to extend from floor to ceiling.

Figure 4 shows the manner in which the elongate members on one side of the assembly engage with adjacent elongate members on such side. For this purpose, it is simply necessary for one elongate member to be placed over the other so that with the rear walls 3, 12 of the elongate members in alignment, the groove 11 of one elongate member will be in alignment with the lip 6 of the next and one elongate member can then be dropped over the one which is to lie below. By carrying out this operation pair-wise, members of each pair of elongate members being adjoined back to back as aforesaid, it is readily possible to construct the assembly shown in Figure 4.If a column of single elongate members is to be built up, for example against a supporting structure such as a wall, each elongate member will be fastened to the wall, for example by using adhesive pads and the next elongate member will be brought into engagement therewith in the manner shown in Figure 4 and in its turn be affixed to the sup porting structure.

An elongate structure according to this invention allows ready display of articles thereon. Such articles will lie with their lower regions on the flange 7, resting against the main wall section 4 (or possibly the main wall section 3), being prevented from slipping off the elongate member by means of the lip 8.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An elongate display member of unchanging cross-section throughout the length thereof, the elongate display member being of channel form and having a pair of longitudinally extending lateral free edge regions, a zone substantially midway between the lateral free edge regions whose surface disposed externally of the channel of the display member is essentially flat irrespective of the configuration of the opposed inner channel surface of the display member, and a portion positioned between one lateral free edge which is provided with an upstanding lip extending into the interior of said channel and the wall region providing said flat surface, said portion comprising a first part adjacent said wall region and being inclined with respect to said wall region, and a second part adjacent said free edge and lying in a plane at right angles to said essentially flat surface and serving, in use, for supporting display articles on the member held thereon by said lip, the elongate display member being so formed in said lateral free edge regions that elongate display members juxtaposed in edge-to-edge arrangement in like orientation may undergo interengagement in said lateral free edge regions.

2. An elongate display member as claimed

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. rangement adjacent the flat said outer surfaces of the elongate display member of the other display members of the other display arrangement, the display arrangements being connected to one another at said flat surfaces. For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same can be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the drawings accompanying the Provision Specification wherein: Figure 1 is a transverse section through an elongate member embodying this invention; Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views from front and back respectively of such an elongate member; and Figure 4 shows a plurality of the elongate members utilised in the construction of a selfstanding display assembly. Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, it can be seen that an elongate member 1 according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is of substantially half octagonal form in cross-section comprising main wall sections 2,3 and 4. Adjoining main wall section 2 is an edge flange 5 having an upstanding lip 6 adjointed thereto. Adjoining the free edge of the main wall section 4 is a flange 7 which is wider than the flange 5 and terminates in an upstanding lip 8. Depending from the flange 7 are apair of strips 9 and 10 whichbetween them define a groove 11 which is positioned in alignment with the lip 6. The main wall section 3 is continued in a region 12 to terminate at a position substantially level with the flange 7. Ridges 13 and 14 are positioned at the ends of the rear wall 3, 12 of the elongate member. Turning next to Figure 4 of the drawings, a self-standing assembly can be seen to be formed from a plurality of pairs of elongate members of the type shown in Figures 1 to 3. Each pair of elongate members is in back-to-back arrangement with the elongate members being connected together by means of pairs of adhesive pads 15. The adhesive pads do not run continuously along the length of the elongate members, but are broken up at least at the central part of the length of the elongate members. A rod 16 secured to a screw 17 in the base of a pedestal unit 18 passes up through the assembly of elongate members crossing the rear side of each at the aforesaid central position by passing up through the aforesaid gap in the adhesive pads. Hence the assembled pairs of elongate members are able to rotate about the central rod. A bushing 19 situated about the base part of the central rod keeps the lowermost pair of elongate members clear of the pedestal 18 to allow unhindered rotation thereof. Rigidity is given to the upper part ofthe uppermost pair of elongate members by inserting the rigid frame 20 into the opening externally of the topmost elongate members defined by the flanges 5 and lips 6 thereof. The height of the assembly will depend upon the size of the elongate members. Thus, if they are of a size suitable for carrying spectacle frames, the assembly may be made up of wall members having a height of about 4 inches to have a total height of about 1 foot 8 inches. Particularly with assemblies formed from elongate members of larger cross section, it is possible even for the elongate assemblies to extend from floor to ceiling. Figure 4 shows the manner in which the elongate members on one side of the assembly engage with adjacent elongate members on such side. For this purpose, it is simply necessary for one elongate member to be placed over the other so that with the rear walls 3, 12 of the elongate members in alignment, the groove 11 of one elongate member will be in alignment with the lip 6 of the next and one elongate member can then be dropped over the one which is to lie below. By carrying out this operation pair-wise, members of each pair of elongate members being adjoined back to back as aforesaid, it is readily possible to construct the assembly shown in Figure 4.If a column of single elongate members is to be built up, for example against a supporting structure such as a wall, each elongate member will be fastened to the wall, for example by using adhesive pads and the next elongate member will be brought into engagement therewith in the manner shown in Figure 4 and in its turn be affixed to the sup porting structure. An elongate structure according to this invention allows ready display of articles thereon. Such articles will lie with their lower regions on the flange 7, resting against the main wall section 4 (or possibly the main wall section 3), being prevented from slipping off the elongate member by means of the lip 8. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An elongate display member of unchanging cross-section throughout the length thereof, the elongate display member being of channel form and having a pair of longitudinally extending lateral free edge regions, a zone substantially midway between the lateral free edge regions whose surface disposed externally of the channel of the display member is essentially flat irrespective of the configuration of the opposed inner channel surface of the display member, and a portion positioned between one lateral free edge which is provided with an upstanding lip extending into the interior of said channel and the wall region providing said flat surface, said portion comprising a first part adjacent said wall region and being inclined with respect to said wall region, and a second part adjacent said free edge and lying in a plane at right angles to said essentially flat surface and serving, in use, for supporting display articles on the member held thereon by said lip, the elongate display member being so formed in said lateral free edge regions that elongate display members juxtaposed in edge-to-edge arrangement in like orientation may undergo interengagement in said lateral free edge regions.

2. An elongate display member as claimed

in claim 1, which possesses a cross-section having the shape of a half-octagon, the octagon having been divided at approximately the midpoints of a pair of opposite sides.

3. An elongate display member as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which is formed of extruded plastics material.

4. An elongate display member as claimed in claim 3, which is formed of polyvinyl chloride or a polyamide.

5. An elongate display member as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which is formed of extruded aluminium.

6. An elongate display member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said surface disposed externally of the channel of the display member carries a plurality of adhesive pads.

7. An elongate display member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a pair of parallel strips defining therebetween a groove is formed on one side lateral free edge region externally of the channel of the display member and a further strip is formed on the other said edge region externally of the channel of the display member, which strips are so aligned with respect to each other that when two said elongate display members are juxtaposed in edge-to-edge arrangement in like orientation the further strip of one said member is able to enter the groove of said other member thereby to obtain said inter engagement of the elongate members in their lateral free edge regions.

8. An elongate display member as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pair of parallel strips is formed on the same edge region as said lip.

9. An elongate display member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the said surface disposed externally of the display member is greater than the sum total of the minimum internal width of the channel thereadjacent and twice the wall thickness of the display member at a part thereof adjacent a wall region defining said surface.

10. An elongate display member as claimed in claim 9 when appended to claim 7 or 8, wherein said wall region provides an extension of said surface on the side of said channel having lateral free edge region formed with said lip.

11. An elongate display member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising ridges provided thereon externally of said channel and flanking said surface, the ridges extending lengthwise of the display member.

12. An elongate display member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

13. A display arrangement comprising a plurality of elongate display members as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, disposed in like orientation one above the next, with adjacent display members undergoing interengagement in said edge regions.

14. A display stand which comprises a pair of display arrangements each comprising a plurality of elongate display members as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, disposed parallel to one another in like orientation one above the next with adjacent display members undergoing interengagement in said edge regions, which display arrangements are in backto-back juxtaposition with said flat surfaces of the elongate display members of one display arrangement adjacent the flat said surfaces of the elongate display members of the other display arrangement, the display arrangements being connected to one another at said flat surfaces.

15. A display stand as claimed in claim 14 which is carried on a pedestal member.

16. A display stand as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein said display arrangements are connected to one another as a result of adhesive pads adhering to the elongate display members of one of the display arrangements adhering to adhesive pads adhering to the elongate display members of the other of the display arrangements.

17. A display stand, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.