GB2343621A - Display rack - Google Patents

Abstract

A display rack for the display of posters, pictures, samples of goods and the like, has a plurality of circumferentially opposed leaves 10 independently rotatable through 3600 about a common pillar 11 each leaf being connected to said pillar by at least one bracket 12a-c. A pair of adjacent leaves are positionable with a viewing angle there between to permit viewing of the two opposing faces, the leaves forming said pair being alterable by rotation of the leaves about the pillar. Stops 20a, 20b are provided on the leaves at a suitable separation from their inner edges, so that the leaves are spaced around the pillar. The pillar may be inclined to the vertical to provide gravity biassing of the leaves. A plate 33 may be provided just below the arc of leaves, with a bearing 34 being provided on each leaf which will rest on the plate.

Description

DISPLAY RACK The present invention relates to a display rack having a plurality of pivotable leaves. The leaves may be used, for example, for the display of posters, pictures, or samples of goods.

It is well known to display posters in a rack which comprised a set of leaves pivotable about a common axis.

Such arrangements generally limit the possible range of pivoting of the leaves to a limited arc, either by stops or walls. Then, when a viewer looks at the leaves, by rotating them about the axis, the direction of rotation must be reversed if the viewer wants to look back at a leaf viewed earlier. This can be inconvenient if the number of leaves is large.

It is also known to provide a pivotable drum on which individual leaves are themselves pivotally attached. This is used, for example, for the display of CDs and postcards. However, in such arrangements it is usually difficult to view two leaves simultaneously, as the angle that may be created between two adjacent leaves is usually significantly less than 180 . There is the further problem that the known arrangements are not practical for large leaves, because of stability issues.

The present invention therefore proposes a display rack comprising a plurality of leaves, in which the inner edge of each leaf is rigidly connected to a bracket, and the brackets of the leaves are all pivotally connected to a common pillar, the pivoting being such that the bracket, and hence the inner edge of the leaf, is rotatable through 360 around the pillar. The leaves are arranged on the pillar so that a suitable viewing angle is provided between two of the leaves, at any time, enabling the display to be seen. Preferably, that angle is close to, or equal to, 180 .

Preferably, stops are provided on the leaves at a suitable separation from their inner edges, which form a separation between the leaves, so that the leaves are spaced around the pillar. By suitable adjustment of the spacing, the leaves may form an arc of 180 , or possibly slightly more or less, so that the outer faces of the leaves at the outer edges of that arc are readily visible. To assist in this, it may be useful for the pillar to be inclined to the vertical by a small angle, to provide gravity biassing of the leaves to keep the stops in abutment, to achieve a suitable arc of leaves.

While it is possible for there to be a single bracket, such mounting is usually impractical for a large leaf. Therefore, each leaf preferably has a plurality of brackets spaced along its inner edge. It is then convenient if the brackets of adjacent leaves are themselves adjacent, as the brackets will then form a helix around the pillar, which provides an aesthetic appearance.

Thus, a viewer can lift the leaf at one edge of the arc of leaves, and rotate it about the pillar to the other edge. All the other leaves then rotate, so that a new leaf is presented at the first edge. This process can continue indefinitely, since the leaves are able to rotate through 360 . Moreover, when the pillar is inclined to the vertical, the lifting of one leaf from the edge of the arc has the effect that the centre of mass of the rest of the arc is then such that the whole of the arc will rotate about the pillar under the effect of gravity. This makes the display easy to use.

Preferably, particularly if the leaves are large or heavy, it is possible to provide a plate just below the arc of leaves, with a guide or roller being provided on each leaf which will rest on the plate. The plate thus provides additional support for the leaves, and also means the weight that the viewer must lift is reduced.

The detailed structure of the leaf usable in the present invention may vary in dependance on the article to be displayed. For example, the leaf may be in the form of an inner frame, on which the object is mounted, with outer panels (which may then be transparent) which cover the object. The outer panels may then be held together by a removable end piece, which may then form the outer edge of the leaf, to enable objects to be placed within the leaf.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a display rack being an embodiment to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the display rack of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a panel of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 illustrates the internal structure of the panel of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 shows further features of the panel Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a display rack embodying the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a display rack has a plurality of leaves 10 mounted on a central pillar 11.

That mounting is via a plurality of brackets indicated generally at 12 which are rigidly connected to the leaves 10 and are pivotally mounted on the pillar 11. Thus, the leaves 10 can be rotated about the pillar 11 through 360 to enable faces of the leaves to be viewed.

Since Fig. 1 is a front view, only two leaves are visible. The plan view of Fig. 2 shows that, in this embodiment, there are 18 leaves lOa to lOr spaced around the pillar 11. Each leaf lOa to lOr has stops 20 thereon at a position intermediate the radially inner and outer edges of the leaf, and Fig. 2 shows that abutment of those stops 20 causes the leaves lOa to lOr to form an arc around the pillar 11 with outer two leaves lOa and lOr subtending therebetween an angle of a little less, equal to, or little more, than 180 . In this way, the outer faces of the arc are formed by the outer faces of leaves lOa to lOr, so that those outer faces of the leaves lOa and lOr can easily be viewed.

Now consider the situation where a viewer wants to view a face of the leaf lOq. The viewer rotates the leaf lOr clockwise, to move it till its stop 20 is in abutment with the corresponding stop 20 of the leaf 10a. When that is done, the leaves lOa to lOq may themselves rotate by a small angle, so that the leaf lOq assumes the position of the leaf lOr in Fig. 2, and leaf lOr assumes the position of the leaf lOa. The outer faces of the arc of leaves are then formed by leaves lOr and lOq, so that their faces can be viewed. This can be repeated indefinitely, since the leaves lOa to lOr are rotatable about the pillar 11 through 360 . This process can be facilitated if the access of the pillar 11 is inclined to the vertical, into the paper in Fig. 1, which biases the leaves lOa to lOr into the arc shown in Fig. 2. Gravity then maintains the stops 20 in abutment. Moreover, the lifting of e. g leaf lOr from the arc means that the centre of mass of the remaining leaves lOa to lOq is such that that group of leaves lOa to lOq will then rotate clockwise.

The result is a display which is easy for a viewer to use. As each leaf has two faces, this embodiment provides 36 faces for objects to be displayed. As each leaf 10 is rotated one edge of the arc of leaves to the other, it opposing faces will be visible, and each such rotation exposes another leaf for viewing. If the viewer wants to look an earlier leaf, the viewer may continue to rotate the leaves in the same direction, or may reverse direction if that is more convenient. Thus, unlike known arrangements, it is very easy for a viewer to look through a sequence of leaves, and then return to the beginning of the sequence. This is useful if e. g the leaves are displaying objects which the viewer wants to compare, such as furnishings colours, paints, or similar material.

Fig. 3 shows a leaf 10 in more detail. The leaf 10 has a rigid inner edge 30 on which are mounted three brackets 12a, 12b and 12c spaced along that inner edge 30. Similarly, there is a rigid outer edge 31 and an inner panel 32 on which objects may be displayed.

Normally, the inner panel 32 will be arranged so that it may display objects on both its faces.

Fig. 3 also shows that a plate 33 may be provided surrounding the shaft 11 below the leaf 10. The leaf 10 may then have a roller 34 which rests on the plate 33, and thus facilitates rotation of the leaf 10 about the pillar 11. Fig. 3 also shows that stops 20a and 20b may be provided at the top and bottom edges of the leaf 10, rather than providing a single stop.

In Fig. 3, the brackets 12a to 12c are spaced along the inner edge 30 of the leaf 10. In order to prevent the brackets of the leaves interfering with each other, different leaves will have their brackets at different positions along their inner edge. This can be seen in Fig. 1 in which the brackets of the leaf 10 on the right hand side of the shaft 11 in Fig. 1, are slightly above the brackets of the leaf 10 on the left hand side. This is repeated around the arc shown in Fig. 2, and has the effect that the brackets form part of a helix, which both prevents interference between the brackets 12 and also provides an aesthetic appearance.

Fig. 4 shows further details of the leaf 10. It can be seen that the inner edge 30 of the panel 10 is provided with a plurality of slots 40 therealong, into which the brackets 12a to 12c are slotted. This arrangement is convenient since it enables the position of the brackets 12a to 12c to be adjusted along the inner edge 30, independence on the position of that bracket 10 within the arc shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 also shows that the panel 10 is provided with a rigid inner frame 41.

That inner frame 41 then receives, on its opposite surfaces, two plates 51,52 on which articles to be displayed may be mounted. The plates 51,52 may be of foamed material to provide a backing for the articles which will not damage those articles. Alternatively, if a picture, samples or other artistic material is to be displayed, that material may replace the plates 51,52.

Then, outwardly from the plates 51,52, transparent or translucent sheets 53,54 of e. g acrylic material are provided to cover the plates 51,52 to protect the display. The inner frame 41, the plates 51 and 52, and the sheets 53 and 54 are then held together by the inner and outer edges 30,31 of the panel 10, with the outer edge 31 being removable as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Figs.

4 and 5 also show that the finger holes 55 may be provided on the frame 41 to assist in insertion or removal of material between the plates 51,52 and the sheets 53,54. Additional interconnection may be provided by through fixings 56.

Figs. 4 and 5 also show that the brackets 12a to 12c may have a slot 60 therein extending to the opening in the bracket 12a 12c which received shaft 11. This facilitates the mounting of the brackets 12a to 12c, and hence the panel 10, on the pillar 11. A suitable closure will then be needed once the pillar is in place. This may be provided by a suitable flexing piece in the brackets.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the resulting display, and illustrates how the shaft 11 is tilted to expose the outer faces of the panels 10. The resulting display rack may be mounted in the suitable housing 70 to position it at a suitable height for the viewer.

In the embodiments described above, the rigid components of the panel are of metal. However, it is also possible to make panels of the present invention in plastics materials as this may be less expensive.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS 1. A display rack comprising a plurality of leaves rotatable through 3600 around a common pillar in which the inner edge of each leaf is rigidly connected to at least one bracket and the brackets are pivotally connected to the pillar so that each bracket is independently rotatable through 3600 about the pillar, the leaves being arranged such that circumferentially opposed faces of a pair of adjacent leaves are positionable with a viewing angle therebetween to permit viewing of those faces, with the leaves forming said pair being alterable by rotation of the leaves about the pillar.
2. 2. A display rack as in claim 1 wherein a stop on each leaf face abuts with the stop on the adjacent leaf face to give a predefined circumferential spacing between adjacent leaves.
3. 3. A display rack as in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said common pillar is inclined from the vertical.
4. 4. A display rack as in any one of the preceding claims wherein each leaf has a plurality of said brackets spaced along its radially inner edge.
5. 5. A display rack as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a bearing is mounted on the axially lower edge of each leaf, each bearing being in abutment with a common supporting member.
6. 6. A display rack as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the leaves comprise an inner frame on which the object is mounted, with outer panels covering the said object and being held together with a removable end piece, which may then form the outer edge of the leaf.
7. 7. A display rack substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.