GB2155227A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

A display device, for example for displaying advertisements in shop windows, has an outer sleeve 2 of thin flexible material, such as cardboard, and an inner inserted panel 1 of a light rigid material such as polystyrene foam. Displayed matter is provided on the outer sleeve 2 and the inner panel 1 defines a rigid support for the sleeve. The device may be supported on a stand 21 or may be suspended from hooks (28) provided on sides of the device. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display device This invention relates to display devices for displaying advertising and like material of a printed nature.

Printed cardboard panels are often used to display advertisements, for example in shop windows. However, these panels tend readily to become warped. With a view to overcoming this problem it would be possible to use a printed panel or a more rigid nature and/or a strong supporting framework or the like, but this could involve undue expense especially if frequent variation of the display is required, and also may give rise to printing limitations. Moreover, there is the problem that a heavy, substantial display device may be difficult or inconvenient to manoeuvre and transport.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display device with which the problem of warping can be avoided or at least minimised yet which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to use.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a display device comprising a sleeve of relatively thin flexible material adapted to receive display matter on its outer surface, and a supporting panel formed from a relatively light, rigid material adapted to fit removably within the sleeve thereby to support same.

With this arrangement the sleeve can be constructed from a material which can be easily and conveniently printed, and warping in use can be eliminated or at least minimised due to the supportive action of the inserted panel.

Moreover, due to the light nature of the inserted panel it will be appreciated that the display device can be readily manoeuvrable; and, when replacement of the displayed matter is required this can be achieved by removing and replacing the sleeve.

Yet further, interesting display effects can be readily achieved due to the possible versatility of the display device in terms of it positioning and also due to the possibility of printing all sides of the sleeve to give front and back presentations and also side edge displays for example in the manner of a wrap-round display.

Most conveniently the inserted panel is at least generally of rectangular form and the sleeve correspondingly has front and back rectangular sections linked by strip-shaped edge pieces. Other arrangements are however possible.

The sleeve may comprise a cardboard box structure which may be printed in sheet form and is then assembled (by bonding or stapling or the like) to define the sleeve. If desired the box structure may also have a top edge and/or bottom edge flap or the like.

The inserted panel is preferably formed from a rigid foam plastics material such as polystryrene foam although other materials may be possible.

The display device may also include a mounting structure which may comprise a stand (such as a slotted block) for supporting the device in upright disposition on a floor surface and/or a hook arrangement or the like by means of which the device can be suspended.

Provision may be made for adjusting one or more selected parts of the displayed matter. This may involve separate display cards locatable detachably relative to one or more regions of the sleeve, for example, by insertion into a pocket, by insertion behind a window in the sleeve, by attachment to clips on the sleeve.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 4 are diagrammatic views showing different stages in the assembly of one form of a display device according to the invention; Figures 5 to 7 are similar perspective views of different modified versions of the device of Figures 1 to 4; Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a further modified version; and Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail of the arrangement of Figure 8.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, a display device for use, for example, in a shop window, comprises a rigid polystyrene panel 1 (shown in Figure 1) which is inserted into a sleeve 2 in the form of a box structure assembled from a sheet of cardboard 3 (as shown in Figure 2).

The panel 1 is of rectangular form (say 122cm x 44.5cm x 2.5cm) having large rectangular front and back faces 4 and long and short rectangular strip-shaped edge surfaces 5, 6, except for a rectangular cut-out 7 in the centre of one of the shorter edge regions which defines spaced feet 8, 9 on opposite sides thereof.

The cardboard sheet 3 (say 700 microns thick) has two large sections 14, 15 substantially of identical size and shape to the panel faces 4 (i.e. rectangular except for cut-outs 10, 11). The sections 14, 15 are linked by a narrow strip-shaped section 16 of like size and shape to the longer edge surfaces 5 of the panel 1, and there are sections 17, 18 of similar size and shape at each of the outermost long edges of the sections 14, 15. The shorter edge of one of the sections 14 opposite the cut-out 10 is provided with a projecting strip-shaped flap 19.

The cardboard sheet 3 is relatively thin and flexible and can be readily printed on one side in the region of the two large sections 14, 15 and, if desired also in the region of one or more of the edge sections 16 to 18. The sheet 3 can then be folded, along score lines between the large sections 14, 15 and the edge sections 16-18 and the flap 19 and the two outer edge sections 17, 18 can be overlapped and secured together e.g. by glueing thereby to define a tubular sleeve of rectangular cross-section.

The cross-section of the sleeve 2 is similar to but in fact slightly larger than that of the panel 1 whereby, as shown in Figure 3 the panel 1 can be inserted into the sleeve 2 to form a close fit therewithin. When the panel 1 is fully inserted so that the cut-out 7 is aligned with the cut-outs 10, 11, the flap 19 can be tucked in over and around the pertaining short edge 6 of the panel 1 and if desired may be glued or otherwise fixed in position.

The panel 1 acts as a rigid support for the sleeve 2 and the resulting combination can be mounted in upright disposition on a floor surface by engagement of the aligned cut-outs 7, 10, 11 with a slot 20 in a free-standing wooden or moulded plastics block 21, the feet 8, 9 being arranged to project downwardly and engage the floor at each side of the block 21.

The resulting display device thereby provides an attractive and prominent display of the printed matter on the outer surfaces of the sleeve 2. The light weight of the polystyrene panel 1 facilitates easy manoeuvrability and transportation of the device and, when desired, the sleeve can be readily removed by sliding off the panel 1 to permit replacement with a differently printed sleeve.

As shown in Figure 5, clips 22 (e.g. of the kind shown in Figure 9 and described hereinafter) may be secured to the sleeve 2 (e.g. by bonding or engagement with holes in the sleeve) and a card 23 may be provided for detachable engagement with the clips 22. In this way, part of the displayed matter can be readily changed as required. For example, the display device may be used to advertise interest rates in a bank or the like and the rates may be printed on the card so that it is only necessary to change the card when there is a change in the rates.

With the arrangement of Figure 6, in place of the clips 22 there is a transparent pocket 24 fixed to the sleeve 2 to receive the detachable card 23.

With the arrangement of Figure 7, the sleeve 2 has window apertures 25 in one section 15 and a detachable card 26 fits between the sleeve 2 and the inserted panel 1 behind the windows 25. In this case, the card 26 may have a turned-over top edge portion 27 which can hook over the top edge of the inserted panel 1 underneath the flap 19.

With the foregoing embodiment, the sleeve 2 and the panel 1 are arranged longitudinally upright. It is however possible to arrange the sleeve and panel with their longitudinal axes horizontal. In this case the cut-out 7 may be omitted and two side-by-side cut-outs (with corresponding cut-outs in the sleeve 2) may be provided in one long edge for engagement with two blocks 21 of the kind shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Moreover, as shown in Figure 8, it is possible to provide clips 28 at appropriate positions on the sleeve for engagement with cords 29 whereby the display device can be suspended at a desired location. As shown in Figure 9, the clips 28 may comprise plastics mouldings having hook structures 30 and flat rear faces which can be conveniently bonded to the sleeve 2 (or if desired to the panel 1).

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only. Thus, for example, to give a three-dimensional effect an additional shaped card (or part of the sleeve 2) may be spaced forwardly away from the panel 1 by means of a collapsible spacer.

Claims (13)

1. A display device comprising a sleeve of relatively thin flexible material adapted to receive display matter on its outer surface, and a supporting panel formed from a relatively light, rigid material adapted to fit removably within the sleeve thereby to support same.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the inserted panel is at least generally of rectangular form and the sleeve has corresponding front and back rectangular sections linked by strip-shaped edge pieces.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve comprises a cardboard box structure.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the box structure has a top edge and/or bottom edge flap.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inserted panel is formed from a rigid foam plastics material.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further including a mounting structure for supporting the device in upright disposition on a floor surface.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said mounting structure comprises a stand in the form of a slotted block.

8. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further including a hook arrangement by means of which the device can be suspended.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said hook arrangement comprises hook structures fixed to the sleeve at different positions thereon.

10. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein clips are attached to the sleeve for use in the detachable location of display cards.

11. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a pocket is attached to the sleeve for insertion of a display card therein.

12. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a window is provided in the sleeve for insertion of a display card therebehind.

13. A device according to claim 1, substantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.