GB2303239A

GB2303239A - Advertising display system

Info

Publication number: GB2303239A
Application number: GB9614438A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Harold Weston
Original assignee: HIGH ROAD ADVERTISING Ltd
Current assignee: HIGH ROAD ADVERTISING Ltd
Priority date: 1995-07-10
Filing date: 1996-07-10
Publication date: 1997-02-12
Also published as: GB9514041D0; GB9614438D0

Abstract

A display system particularly suitable for use in displaying advertisements on car transporters and the like comprises a curtain (2) which is formed in a continuous loop. The curtain (2) is entrained about rollers (3,4) and is rotatable by appropriate means, for example a motor drive system, to present one or other of a pair of pockets (8) to the obverse face of the display. Each pocket (8) can receive a flexible sheet (9) carrying advertising display. Thus, the display which is presented to the exterior of a vehicle can be changed by changing the pocket which is presented to the exterior of the vehicle and/or by changing the advertisement contained within the pocket. The display system is mounted such that it can move from its normal use configuration in which it forms a wall panel of the vheicle to an access position permitting access to the interior of the vehicle. This may be effected by moving the display system vertically, or by appropriate hinge movement, or by mounting the display system on a parallel linkage permitting movement of the display system both upwardly and outwardly from its use position to the access position. Warning means may be provided on the vehicle to indicate when the frame is in other than its in use position. In an alternative arrangement, the curtain may be fixed to the frame and is not rotated.

Description

This invention relates to an advertising display system, and in the preferred embodiment provides a display system suitable for use on a motor road vehicle, more particularly, but not exclusively, a car transporter. It should be understood, however, that the advertising display system of the present invention is not limited to such applications and may find more general application.

Car transporters are commonly used for the delivery of motor cars and light vans from a manufacturer or a storage depot to individual garage retailers. Car transporters are also used for the transport of vehicles between depots of car manufacturers and car hire firms and, to a limited extent, for the delivery of pre-owned vehicles. Such transporters are large and relatively eye catching, and may especially attract attention when they are loaded with a newly released model of a particular vehicle.

Transporters would, accordingly, provide an ideal platform for advertisements, particularly advisements relating to the cars being transported. However, existing advertising display systems are inherently unsuitable for application to such transporters since they are liable to limit access to or operation of the transporter. Also, conventional advertising display systems are, in general, able only to display a single advertisement and in the circumstances, if a transporter is used to transport a range of vehicles it is liable to be unacceptable to have a fixed advertisement for one particular brand of car since this may be considered to be in conflict with a subsequent use of the transporter for another brand of car.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an advertising display system which avoids the difficulties outlined above, and is accordingly particularly suitable for use on a car transporter. The preferred embodiment of the invention may readily be fitted to a car transporter, can be manipulated in a way so that it does not interfere with normal access to or operation of the transporter, and is capable of displaying different advertisements in light of changes of use which are made of the transporter.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an advertising display system comprising: a frame; a curtain mounted on the frame; means for releasably securing a flexible sheet carrying advertising display to the curtain; and means for mounting the frame to a vehicle, the mouting means permitting movement of the frame between a use position in which the display system forms a wall panel of the vehicle and an access position in which the display system permits access to the interior of the vehicle via at least a portion of the space which was occupied by the display system when in the use configuration.

Preferably the curtain is formed in a continuous loop and is mounted on the frame for movement to present selected portions of the loop of curtain material to the obverse of the display.

By this means, different flexible sheets carrying different advertising displays can be affixed to different portions of the curtain and can be selectively displayed to the exterior of a vehicle on which the display is mounted. Preferably, motor driven means are provided for moving the curtain to present a selected portion thereof to the exterior of the vehicle.

In one embodiment of the invention the means for releasably securing the flexible sheet to the curtain comprises a pocket provided on the surface of the curtain for receiving the flexible sheet. The pocket can conveniently be provided by securing a sheet of suitable transparent plastics material to the body of the curtain. In this case, the pocket preferably has an open side permitting insertion of flexible sheets into the pocket and removal of flexible sheets therefrom. Preferably, means are provided for closing the open side. Such means may, for example, comprise a sliding fastener.

In an alternative embodiment the means for securing the flexible sheets to the curtain comprise means for securing edge regions of the flexible sheets to the curtain. Such means can conveniently comprise flaps secured to the curtain and fasteners for securing the flaps to the curtain in a manner which sandwiches the edge region of the flexible sheet between the curtain and the flaps. The securing means can, for example, comprise press stud fastenings which are secured through appropriate apertures provided in the flexible sheet.

The means for mounting the frame to the vehicle can comprise means permitting the frame to be moved vertically upwardly or downwardly from its normal use position in order to provide access to the interior of the vehicle. In an alternative and preferred embodiment of the invention the frame is mounted to the vehicle by mounting means which permit the frame to move both outwardly and upwardly from its use position into its access position. Such mounting means can conveniently be provided by a parallelogram linkage securing the frame to appropriate portions of the vehicle. An appropriate counterbalance means, for example springs, can be provided to assist movement of the frame so that movement into and out of the use position can be effected by hand. Preferably, warning means are provided to indicate when the frame is in its access position.Such warning means can conveniently comprise lights provided on the frame itself to indicate the presence of the frame in its access position. Preferably, warning means are provided in the cab of the vehicle on which the display system is mounted which provide a warning to the driver that the frame is in its access position.

Such warning means can comprise audio and/or visual signals.

In an alternative and particularly simple embodiment of the invention the curtain is simply fixed to the frame and provides an appropriate mounting for the flexible sheets carrying advertising display. In this case, the flexible sheets may be secured to the curtain by means of pockets or by means of the flap system.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompany drawing wherein the single figure illustrates schematically and in perspective view a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The advertising display system 1 illustrated in the drawing comprises a curtain 2 which is formed into a continuous loop.

The curtain may be formed of any suitable material, for example a sheet plastics material, a woven material, or a plastics reinforced woven material. The curtain 2 is entrained about an upper roller 3 and a lower roller 4, the rollers 3,4 being rotatably supported in end posts 5,6 respectively. In the normal use configuration of the system the rollers 3,4 are spaced apart to maintain the curtain 2 lightly in tension so that the obverse face 7 of the system presents a smooth flat surface.

Secured to the curtain 2 are a pair of pockets 8. One of the pockets 8 is visible in the drawing: the other pocket 8 will be located in a corresponding position on the reverse side of the system. It will be appreciated that by rotating the rollers 3,4 the curtain loop can be re-positioned to place, selectively, either of the pockets 8 centrally on the obverse face 7 of the system. Each pocket 8 is adapted to receive an advertisement 9 which is preferably in the form of a paper sheet laminated with a suitable plastics material. The pocket 8 may be formed of a clear plastics material suitably secured to the material of the curtain 2. Each pocket 8 includes a suitable opening 10 to allow advertisements 9 to be loaded into and removed from the pocket.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the pocket opening 10 is located at the lower side of the pocket located on the obverse face 7 of the system. Preferably, means such as a zip fastener are provided for closing each pocket opening 10.

In use, the apparatus according to the invention is located on a structure where an advertisement is to be displayed. Such a structure may, for example, be the side of a car transporter.

Appropriate advertisements 9 are loaded into the pockets 8 and the curtain 2 is rotated to present one of the advertisements on the obverse face of the system. In the case when the apparatus is applied to a car transporter the advertisement may, typically, be an advertisement relating to the cars being carried, for the time being, on the transporter. If it is desired to change the advertisement which is displayed, or to remove the advertisement and display only a blank wall the rollers 3,4 are rotate to move the advertisement to the reverse face of the system and display an alternative advertisement or a blank panel on the obverse face 7. If desired, the several advertisements may be located one atop the other within each pocket 8 so that by successively removing the top advertisement from each pocket a series of different advertisements may be displayed.Means in the form of a suitable carrier may be provided on vehicles for the purpose of storing advertisements for later use.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention one or both of the rollers 3,4 are provided with power actuation means to facilitate rotation of the curtain 2. Such power actuation means may comprise a single motor connected by an appropriate drive train to both rollers or separate motors driving each roller. In the alternative, one roller may be driven and the other may idle. Additionally or alternatively manually operated drive means, for example a removable handle 11, may be provided for manually rotating the curtain.

In the event that motor drive is provided for the rollers there is also preferably provided a control mechanism which will automatically move the rollers until a pocket 8 is at the correct registration position on the obverse face of the system. Thus, to change the advertisement an operator need merely press a "start" button and this will automatically result in movement of the curtain loop until the next pocket 8 is presented to the obverse face.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention intended for use on car transporters the upper and/or lower rollers 3,4 are preferably vertically moveable within the posts 5,6 to permit access to the sides of the transporter. Motor driven means under appropriate operating control are preferably provided for raising and lowering the rollers. Additionally, or alternatively, the entire system may be mounted on a sub-frame in a manner which permits the system to be raised bodily or lowered bodily relative to its usual use position thereby permitting access to the interior of the transporter.

Alternatively, all or part of the system may be mounted for hinged movement about one edge thereof and may be provided with releaseable fastening means normally holding the system in a use configuration. By releasing the fastening means and rotating the system about the hinge mounting it may be moved to a position to facilitate access to areas normally obscured by the system itself.

In a particularly preferred mounting system the various components of the display system are mounted on a subframe which is connected to the vehicle by means of a parallelogram linkage, for example comprising two arms at each side of the frame which are pivotally connected to the frame and pivotally connected to the vehicle. Preferably, an appropriate weight compensating arrangement is provided, for example a spring at each side of the frame which is extended as the frame is lowered and which relaxes as the frame is raised.By appropriate choice of spring the weight of the frame can be substantially balanced enabling the frame to be moved easily between a use configuration in which it is relatively low and forms a side panel of the vehicle and the access position in which the frame is moved upwardly and outwardly on the parallelogram linkage to a position which is spaced outwardly from and above its normal use position, thereby facilitating access to the interior of the vehicle. The movement between the use position and access position may be effected by appropriate power means or, in appropriate circumstances, may be effected manually. Manual movement is particularly easy in the case of the balanced parallel linkage arrangement described above and, with such an arrangement, the driver of the vehicle can readily move the display systems between the use and access positions.

Preferably, appropriate warning means are provided to provide a warning to both passing traffic and to the driver of a vehicle that the display system or systems on a vehicle are other than in the use configuration. Such means can conveniently comprise warning lights provided on the frame which are actuated automatically when the frame is released from its use position.

Preferably, such warning lights are repeated in the cab of the vehicle and may be accompanied by audible warnings to warn the driver that the display systems are not locked in their use configuration.

As an alternative to the use of pockets, as referred to above, the flexible sheets may be secured to the curtain by means of flaps provided on the curtain which in use can be secured to the curtain to trap edge regions of the flexible sheet between the flaps and the curtain. In one particularly preferred arrangement the flexible sheets are provided with apertures which enable press studs provided on the flaps and on the body of the sheet to be secured together, thereby trapping regions of the flexible sheet therebetween. The flaps themselves are preferably continuous around the periphery of the sheet and are secured to the curtain material continuously whereby the edge regions of the flexible sheet are fully covered and protected.

In a particularly simple embodiment of the invention the curtain is simply fixed to an appropriate frame, by appropriate means, and does not rotate as described above. Pockets and/or flaps are provided on the obverse face of the curtain to permit securing of a flexible sheet carrying advertising displays thereto. Movement of the display between the use and access positions can be as described above, either vertically, or by a hinge system, or by use of a parallel linkage system.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An advertising display system comprising: a frame; a curtain mounted on the frame; means for releasably securing a flexible sheet carrying advertising display to the curtain; and means for mounting the frame to a vehicle, the mouting means permitting movement of the frame between a use position in which the display system forms a wall panel of the vehicle and an access position in which the display system permits access to the interior of the vehicle via at least a portion of the space which was occupied by the display system when in the use configuration.

2. An advertising display system according to Claim 1 wherein the curtain is formed in a continuous loop and is mounted on the frame for movement to present selected portions of the loop of curtain material to the obverse of the display.

3. An advertising display system according to Claim 2 wherein motor driven means are provided for moving the curtain to present a selected portion thereof to the obverse of the display.

4. An advertising display system according to Claim 1 wherein the curtain is fixed to a frame.

5. An advertising display system according to any preceding claim wherein the means for releasably securing the flexible sheet to the curtain comprises a pocket provided on the surface of the curtain for receiving the flexible sheet.

6. An advertising display system according to Claim 5 wherein the pocket is provided by a sheet of suitable transparent plastics material secured to the body of the curtain, the pocket preferably having an open side permitting insertion of flexible sheets into the pocket and removal of flexible sheets therefrom.

7. An advertising display system according to Claim 6 wherein means are provided for closing the open side.

8. An advertising display system according to any of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the means for securing the flexible sheet to the curtain comprise means for securing edge regions of the flexible sheet to the curtain.

9. An advertising display system according to Claim 8 wherein the securing means comprises flaps secured to the curtain and fasteners for securing the flaps to the curtain in a manner which sandwiches the edge region of the flexible sheet between the curtain and the flaps.

10. An advertising display system according to Claim 9 wherein the securing means comprises press stud fastenings which are secured through appropriate apertures provided in the flexible sheet.

11. An advertising display system according to any preceding claim wherein the means for mounting the frame to the vehicle comprises means permitting the frame to be moved vertically upwardly or downwardly from its normal use position in order to provide access to the interior of the vehicle.

12. An advertising display system according to any of Claims 1 to 10 wherein the mounting means permit the frame to move both outwardly and upwardly from its use position into its access position.

13. An advertising display system according to Claim 12 wherein the mounting means comprise a parallelogram linkage for securing the frame to appropriate portions of a vehicle.

14. An advertising display system according to any of Claims 11 to 13 comprising counterbalance means, for example springs, to assist movement of the frame so that movement into and out of the use position can be effected by hand.

15. An advertising display system according to any preceding claim wherein warning means are provided to indicate when the frame is in other than its use position.

16. An advertising display system according to Claim 15 wherein the warning means comprise lights provided on the frame itself to indicate the presence of the frame.

17. An advertising display system according to Claim 15 or Claim 16 wherein warning means are provided in the cab of the vehicle on which the display system is mounted which provide a warning to the driver that the frame is in other than its use position.

18. An advertising display system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.