GB2158279A

GB2158279A - Display device for use in vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2158279A
Application number: GB08404166A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie William Ingram
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-02-17
Filing date: 1984-02-17
Publication date: 1985-11-06
Also published as: GB8404166D0

Abstract

A display device which may be mounted on or in a vehicle dashboard to display journey information comprises a translucent or opaque support panel 3 provided within a wall 5 of a casing 1. Inside the casing 1 are rotatable receiving and supply axes 27, 29 for retaining a reel 31 of translucent material which can be used to store messages. These axles 27, 29 can be rotated manually using one or more control knobs (33, 35) provided on the outside of the casing. Thus the material can be transferred from one axle to the other over the said support panel 3. A light 19 and reflector 17 may be employed with a battery 21 or a connection to the vehicle's power source. A single control knob may rotate both axles through gears and the translucent material may be tensioned. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to display devices The present invention relates to a display device for use in retaining and displaying information.

In particular, the present invention relates to a display device which may be used in a vehicle.

Drivers of automotive vehicles, whether domestic or commercial vehicles, often plan a journey before they start. Even if an actual map is marked with the intended route, it is quite usual for notes to be made identifying the road numbers to be followed and the turns to be taken. These note are usually made on pieces of paper which are casually located wherever convenient in the vehicle e.g. on top of the dashboard or on an adjacent seat. When required, the notes have to be picked up and read. This is dangerous whilst the vehicle is moving and usually the vehicle is stopped when detailed consideration of the notes is required. Further, quite often such notes can be mislaid in the vehicle and it can be virtually impossible to read such notes at night.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a display device whereby notes can be stored and easily read, as and when required.

According to the present invention there is provided a display device for use in retaining and displaying information, the device comprising a support panel provided within a wall of a casing, receiving and supply axles for retaining a reel of material which can be used to store messages, said axles being provided in said casing, and means being provided for manually rotating the reel so that said material can be moved over said support panel as required.

In one embodiment of the present invention the casing is generally triangular in cross section with the support panel inset in one of the planar inclined faces of the casing. The support panel is translucent/opaque and rectangular with a slot being provided in the casing in the regions of the upper and lower edges of the rectangular panel. The said axles are rotatably mounted on the casing, rotation of the axles being controlled by one or more control knobs on the outside of the casing, either directly or via gears.Thus a reel of material, preferably paper, fixedly mounted on one axle and fed through one of said slots, over the front face of the translucent panel, and through the other said slot to the other axle, can be unwound up, as required,by manipulation of the knob or knobs to either allow further information to be viewed on the material over the translucent panel, or to provide fresh material on which information can be inscribed, e.g. written.

In one embodiment of the present invention two control knobs are provided at the side of the casing, each knob controlling an axle either directly or through gears, the rotation of the axles being controlled by friction means or ratchets so that the paper can be tensioned over the support panel, to facilitate writing or enable information stored thereon, to be viewed.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention a single control knob is provided on one side of the casing, the control knob having a shaft which supports a gear wheel within the casing, this gear wheel meshing with two further gears fixedly mounted on the respective axles. Thus, by rotation of the control knob in either direction, the paper can be transferred from one axle to the other.

In either of the above embodiments, the paper can be tensioned by a spring mounted roller which is freely rotatable and which is spring biased against the paper run.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the casing has wall sections which merely slide into slots provided in further parts of the casing wall. These wall sections can thus be simply removed enabling a fresh reel to be substituted, gravity and friction manually holding these wall sections in position.

By providing a light within the casing, the light being powered by batteries within the casing or by the power source of the vehicle, light can pass through the translucent panel and through the paper which is preferably likewise translucent, to thus illuminate any information written on the paper. The light thus enables information to be easily viewed or inscribed, at night or in bad weather conditions.

Preferably the casing is provided with resilient or sticky mounting pads on its base, whereby the device can be simply and securely mounted in a desired location e.g. on top of a vehicle dashboard.

Whilst the device is preferably made from a plastics material, any other suitable material may alternatively be used.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings comprises a hollow casing 1 which is generally triangular in transverse cross-section. The casing 1 has a rectangular support panel 3 inset in one of its inclined faces 5,7, the support panel 3 being translucent.

Between the upper edge of the panel 3 and the adjacent edge of the casing wall, is defined a slot 9, and between the lower edge of panel 3 and the adjacent edge of the casing wall, is defined a slot 11. Within the casing and adjacent to slot 9 is located a freely rotatable guide roller 13, and within the casing and adjacent to slot 11 is located a freely rotatable guide roller 15.

Behind the translucent support panel 3 is located a reflector 1 7 and electric bulb 19, the bulb 1 9 being either powered by batter 21 (Fig. 2), or via cable 23 (Fig. 1) by a vehicle power source. External switch 25 enables the light to be switched on when required e.g.at night or in bad weather.

Receiving and supply axles 27,29 are rotatably mounted in casing 1 for supporting portions of a reel 31 of translucent paper.

Thus paper can be unwound from one axle 27, and wound onto the other axle 29, or vice-versa, by rotation of the axles, the paper passing from axle 27, around freely rotatable roller 1 5 through slot 11, over the support panel 3, through slot 9, around freely rotatable roller 13, to the axle 29. The paper can thus be moved over translucent support panel 3 as required, to allow information to be viewed or inscribed on the paper. By switching on the light bulb 19, the device can be easily used at night or in bad weather.

In the illustrated embodiment the axles 27,29 are controlled by control knobs 33 and 35 respectively, located on the outside of the casing 1. These control knobs are directly located on an end of each axle 27,29. However, alternatively the control knobs can connect with axles 27,29 via gears. Rotation of axles 27 and 29 is controlled by friction means or ratchet means so that the paper can be tensioned across the support panel 3.

In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), a single control knob is provided, the shaft of which passes through the casing side wall and carries a gear wheel, this gear wheel meshing with two further gears mounted on axles 27 and 29 respectively. Thus rotation of the single control knob can move the paper reel in either desired direction and the paper can be tensioned by a spring biassed roller.

The casing 1 is mounted from a plastics material, though it can alternatively be made from any other suitable material. Further, sticky pads 37 are provided on the base 39 of the casing so that the device can be easily mounted on, for example, the top of a vehicle dashboard.

A further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 3. This embodiment is designed to be cheap to manufacture and to allow for easy replacement of the paper reel 39. The casing 41 comprises a base section 43 which can be injection moulded from a suitable plastics material, and which supports freely rotatable axles 45 and 47 for retention and storage of paper from reel 49. The paper is tensioned on axles 45 and 47 by two leaf springs 51 and 53. Translucent support panel 55 has rounded smouth upper and lower edges 57, 59, thus obviating the necessity for guide rollers as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. To allow access to the inside of the casing, wall sections 61 and 63 merely engage in slots 65 and 67 respectively in the front and rear walls 69 and 71 of the casing.

These wall sections 65, 67 are held in position by gravity and friction but can be simply removed to allow the battery 73 or the reel 49 to be replaced. The axles 45 and 47 are controlled by two control knobs (not illustrated) in the same manner as the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. However, a single control knob and gear arrangement as previously described, could easily be substituted.

The present invention thus provides a simple, very useful display device for use in automotive vehicles.

Claims

1. A display device for use in retaining and displaying information, the device comprising a support panel provided within a wall of a casing, receiving and supply axles for retaining a reel of material which can be used to store messages, said axles being provided in said casing, and means being provided for manually rotating the reel so that said material can be moved over said support panel as required.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the casing has a planar face within which the support panel is inset, the support panel being rectangular with a slot provided in the casing in the region of two parallel edges of the rectangular support panel.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which said support panel is made of a transparent or opaque material.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said axles are rotatably mounted in the casing, rotation of the axles being controlled by one or more control knobs outside the casing, either directly of through gears.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, in which rotation of the axles is governed by friction means or a ratchet mechanism.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which a single control knob is provided on a shaft which supports a gear wheel within the case, this gear wheel meshing with two further gears fixedly mounted on said respective axles.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which a spring biassed roller is provided for the tensioning of material passing between said axles and over the support panel.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including a reel of material mounted on one of said axles and passed over said support panel and around the other of said axles.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, in which a light is provided within the casing.

10. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the casing is constructed in sections which engage together.

11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the casing is made of a plastics material.

1 2. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the casing is provided with sticky and/or resilient pads for simply and securely mounting the device in a desired position.

1 3. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the casing is generally triangular in vertical cross-section.

14. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, when mounted within a vehicle dashboard.

1 5. A display device for use in retaining and displaying information, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.