Display holder
A display holder comprising a first and a second panel slidably attached with a space is defined there between. At least a portion of said first or second panels is transparent. In some aspects, the slidable attachment comprises respective tongue and groove elements disposed on longitudinal edges. In other aspects a guide, a stopping means, and a raised portion are disposed on the first or second panels, and a smooth recess is disposed adjacent to the raised portion. Alternatively, an opaque border is disposed around the perimeter of the first and second panels. Furthermore, a locking mechanism is disposed on the first or second panel. In some aspects, the holder can have at least one hanging component which can be an adhesive pad, a suction device, or similar device.
This invention relates generally to display holders, specifically to a display holder comprising two clear plastic panels slidably attached, which facilitates the quick and easy changing of the contents of the holder. Alternatively, the holder can provide the capability of displaying signs or notices on both sides of the holder simultaneously.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSign holders that provide a casing to hold and display messages are known. Certain sign holders have an open end at the top, or open sides to enable the insertion of printed material (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,822), but such holders offer only limited protection of the contents of the holder, and do not provide a quick or easy way to access the printed material that is inserted into the holder. The challenge of protecting an advertisement, while still providing quick and easy access to the printed material that has been inserted, is the objective of some advertisement holders (e.g., see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/794,670), but articles of manufacture such as these fail to offer elements that can thwart unauthorized access, alteration, or removal of the printed material held in the holder. These sign holders have sacrificed security of the image for accessibility.
Others have sought to overcome the shortcomings of past sign holders by requiring specialized tools to access printed material that has been inserted into the holder (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,434). This holder addressed security concerns, but the drawback was that by requiring a specialized tool sign accessibility had been complicated rather than made easier. Ironically, the time needed to change a sign in such a holder was increased. Furthermore, besides not offering greater accessibility with surer security in a single sign holder, prior sign holders also have failed to provide the versatility of enabling printed material to be displayed on either side of the holder along with the other aforementioned features.
Therefore, there is a long felt need for a sign holder that can provide protection from environmental factors, and unauthorized access of the object held in the holder, while still maintaining quick and easy accessibility. Moreover, current holders are lacking the capability of accomplishing the objectives above, whilst still enabling the display of printed material on both sides of the holder simultaneously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is, therefore, intended to provide a display holder with a first and a second panel slidably attached with a space defined therebetween. At least a portion of the first or second panels are transparent. In some aspects, the slidable attachment comprises respective tongue and groove elements disposed on longitudinal edges. In other aspects a guide, a stopping means, and a raised portion are disposed on the first or second panels, and a smooth recess is disposed adjacent to the raised portion. Alternatively, an opaque border is disposed around the perimeter of the first and second panels. Furthermore, a locking mechanism is disposed on the first or second panel. In some aspects, the holder can have at least one hanging component which can be an adhesive pad, a suction device, or similar device.
It is a general object of the invention to provide a display holder which can be slid open to ease the insertion or removal of objects inserted in the holder.
It is another object of the invention to provide a display holder with the capability of displaying material on either side of the holder, or on both sides simultaneously.
It is another object of the invention to provide a display holder that enables quick and simple insertion and removal of objects.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a display holder that can be hung on vertical surfaces such as walls for viewing from one side of the holder, or windows for viewing from both sides, or that can be displayed on horizontal surfaces, such as tables, shelves, or display racks.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the invention in view of the several drawings of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:
At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical structural elements of the invention. While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiments, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. In the description below, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, and their derivatives, should be interpreted from the perspective of one viewing the display holder shown in
Furthermore, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.
In some aspects, panel 12 includes lens 16 fixedly attached to the panel frame, although lens 16 can also be detachably linked to panel 12. In some aspects, at least a portion of lens 16 is transparent, but the embodiment shown depicts lens 16 as transparent excluding the frame of panel 12. As shown, panel 12 has an opaque border 48 that surrounds lens 16. In some aspects, opaque border 48 can be integral to panel 12, i.e., the frame is constructed of an opaque material. In other aspects, an opaque border can be applied to the perimeter of first panel 12 on the interior or exterior of the panel, i.e., an opaque paint, stripping, etc. can be applied at the perimeter of the frame of first panel 12 to form opaque border 48. Opaque border 48 is not limited to a uniform border, but can be irregular shaped as well.
It is advantageous to construct lens 16 of clear plastic sheets, but in the alternative colored or patterned plastic sheets can be substituted. Another option is to construct lens 16 from glass with similar characteristics as the above described plastic version. Lens 16 is fixedly attached to the frame of panel 12 by an adhesive, spot welding, or any other means known to one skilled in the art. The frame of panel 12, which holds lens 16, is preferably constructed of plastic or another polymer that is capable of being formed as one unit in the molding process, or united in another manner known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In some aspects, holder 10 is a stiff structure which is capable of retaining the functional elements of panel 12 that are later described.
Panel 14 can be extended from panel 12 in a parallel fashion as shown in
Groove 34, shown partially in
It is advantageous to include snaps 26 that prevent the inadvertent sliding of panels 12 or 14. As shown, snaps 26 are located on the upper corners of panel 14 near the perimeter of the side that faces the interior of holder 10 when the two panels are slidably connected. Snaps 26 interact with knobs 44, and are located on the upper corners of panel 12 near the perimeter of the interior surface of panel 12. Snaps 26 interact with knobs 44 with enough resistance to hinder panels 12 and 14 from sliding unless assisted by a user. The weight of either panel is insufficient to overcome the resistance generated by the snap 26 and knob 44 interactions. It is advantageous that the resistance produced by snaps 26 and knobs 44 is surmountable by a slight pulling motion by a user on either panel. Although it is preferable to include snaps 26 on the upper corners of panel 14 other configurations are possible and are within the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, snaps 26 could be disposed on panel 12 with knobs 44 disposed on panel 14.
In some aspects, panel 14 is includes keyhole 28 near the middle on both sides of the perimeter of the frame of panel 14, however, the positioning of keyhole 28 is not limited to this arrangement and other positions are within the spirit and scope of the invention. Nails, screws, or another similar fastening means (not shown) can be inserted into the round aperture of keyhole 28 and then slid through the narrow channel until the head of the chosen fastening means is wedged within keyhole 28. It may be advantageous to replace keyhole 28 with another hanging component (not shown), such as a hook, suction cup or an adhesive pad. Replacing keyhole 28 with an adhesive pad or a suction cup enables holder 10 to be displayed on a transparent surface to permit viewing of objects placed in holder 10 from either side of the holder. Replacing keyhole 28 with suction cups, or a similar component, facilitates the temporary display of holder 10.
As shown in
In some aspects, holder 10 is rectangular shaped with rounded corners, but it should be appreciated that holder 10 can be circular, oval, square or any other shape. Holder 10 can also be assembled from multiple pieces to form a frame with a mitered or beveled appearance.
In some aspects, guide 30 is a ridge or wall disposed along the entire longitudinal edge of the interior surface of the frame of panel 14. The longitudinal edge is defined in this case as the two longest sides of the perimeter of panel 14. Thus, there are two longitudinal edges on panel 14. Likewise, there are two longitudinal edges on panel 12. The purpose of guide 30 is to guide objects inserted into holder 10, to prevent the jamming of the inserted object, and to make insertion of material into holder 10 simpler and quicker. As shown, guide 30 is a rectangular shaped ridge that protrudes from panel 14, and resides within channel 40 when panels 12 and 14 are joined. Channel 40 runs the length longitudinal edge of the frame of panel 12 and is shaped complementary to guide 30. Guide 30 guides objects inserted into holder 10 into the space between panels 12 and 14 when they are joined. Guides 30 are located longitudinally on both sides of the interior of panel 14. Alternatively, guide 30 could be located on panel 12 and channel 40 could be disposed on panel 14. Moreover, other structures could accomplish the same objectives intended by the interaction of guides 30 and channel 40. For instance it is not necessary that guides 30 reside within channel 40. Guide 30 could merely run flush against the frame of panel 12 and still adeptly guide objects into the proper location on holder 10. In other aspects, channel 40 and guide 30 are disposed on less than the entire length of both sides of panels 12 and 14.
Positioned near the lower portion of panel 14 is a stopping means 32 that prevents objects inserted into holder 10 from sliding out of the holder. The lower portion of panel 14 is any point below the midpoint of holder 10. If stopping means 32 is disposed on panel 12, then the lower portion of panel 12 is similarly defined. If a gap is left between stopping means 32 and the opposing panel there is a risk that objects inserted into holder 10 will become jammed at the lower portion of holder 10, or objects may slide completely out of the lower portion of holder 10. For this reason it is advantageous that the stopping means 32 either abut the opposing panel or travel within a channel or recess on the opposing panel. Preferably, stopping means 32 travels within channel 46. In the embodiment shown, the opposing panel is panel 12. Stopping means 32 can also be disposed on panel 12, and the opposing panel would be panel 14. As shown, stopping means 32 is preferably rectangular shaped with a flat surface to catch objects 18. While it is advantageous that the catching surface that stops objects 18 inserted into holder 10 is flat, stopping means 32 is not limited to a particular shape.
Channel 46 has a greater width than channel 40 to accommodate stopping means 32 which travels within channel 46 when panels 12 and 14 are joined. Channel 46 intentionally extends only a fraction of the length of panel. 14 to restrain the extent that panel 14 can slide clear of panel 12. As stopping means 32 travels within channel 40, as panels 12 and 14 are slid apart, eventually 32 comes in contact with the top of channel 40 preventing the panels from sliding any further. Channel 46 is long enough to enable panel 14 to slide a sufficient distance from panel 12 to enable the insertion of objects 18 into holder 10. It should be understood that although stopping means 32 serves this secondary function of preventing excessive sliding of panel 14 20 from panel 12, this secondary feature is optional. In other embodiments of holder 10 (not shown), channels 46 is eliminated, in which case stopping means 32 abuts the opposing panel instead of traveling within channel 46.
In some aspects, channel 40 is disposed on the frame of panel 12 along the entire longitudinal edge of the frame. As was previously explained, guide 30 travels within channel 40. Primarily, channel 40 is intended to assist in the insertion of objects 18 into holder 10, but this arrangement also serves to stabilize holder 10 by providing a secondary support to buttress the tongue 38 and groove 34 interaction that holds panels 12 and 14 together.
Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, and these modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.
Claims
1. A display holder comprising:
- a first panel; and,
- a second panel, wherein said first and second panels are slidably attached and define a space there between.
2. The display holder of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said first panel is transparent.
3. The display holder of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said second panel is transparent.
4. The display holder of claim 1, wherein said slidable attachment further comprises respective tongue and groove elements.
5. The display holder of claim 4, wherein said first and second panels comprise respective longitudinal edges and said tongue and groove elements are disposed on said respective longitudinal edges.
6. The display holder of claim 1, wherein said first and second panels are arranged to slide, with respect to each other, in first and second opposite directions; and said holder further comprising: at least one guide disposed, substantially parallel to said first and second directions, between said first and second panels and at least partially defining an insertion space within said space.
7. The display holder of claim 1, further comprising: a stopping means disposed on said first or second panel proximate a lower portion of said display holder and said stopping means at least partially blocking said space.
8. The display holder of claim 1, further comprising at least one raised portion disposed on said first or second panel proximate an upper portion of said display holder.
9. The display holder of claim 8, further comprising a smooth recess adjacent said at least one raised portion.
10. The display holder of claim 1, wherein said first panel comprises an opaque border around at least a portion of a perimeter of said first panel.
11. The display holder of claim 1, wherein said second panel comprises an opaque border around at least a portion of a perimeter of said second panel.
12. The display holder of claim 1, further comprising: a locking mechanism arranged to control the movement of said first panel with respect to said second panel.
13. The display holder of claim 1, wherein said first panel and said second panel are joined to give a seamless appearance.
14. The display holder of claim 1, further comprising: at least one hanging component.
15. The display holder of claim 14, wherein said at least one hanging component is an adhesive pad.
16. The display holder of claim 14, wherein said at least one hanging component is a suction device.
17. A display holder comprising:
- a first panel with at least one attachment element; wherein at least a portion of said first panel is transparent;
- a second panel with at least one attachment element; wherein said at least one attachment element of said first panel is matingly engaged with the at least one attachment element of said second panel to form said holder.
18. The display holder of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said second panel is transparent.
19. The display holder of claim 17, wherein said first and second panels are arranged to slide, with respect to each other, in first and second opposite directions; and said holder further comprising: at least one guide ridge disposed, substantially parallel to said first and second directions, between said first and second panels and at least partially defining an insertion space between said first and second panels.
20. The display holder of claim 17, further comprising: a snap disposed on an interior surface of an upper portion of said display holder.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 6, 2006
Publication Date: Jul 12, 2007
Inventor: Arnold Wolfe (Gasport, NY)
Application Number: 11/327,272
International Classification: A47G 1/06 (20060101);