BARRIER APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A FLEXIBLE BANNER
Banner apparatus (10) for supporting a flexible banner (16), the apparatus comprising a spindle and an attachment element attached to the spindle and arranged to enable the flexible banner to be releasably coupled to the spindle.
It is known to use partitioning apparatus such as crowd management barriers, commonly referred to as post and webbing barriers, to partition areas of floor space. For example, post and webbing barriers may be used to partition a queuing conduit at an airport, or to partition a seating area outside a café or restaurant.
Post and webbing barriers generally comprise a base supporting an upstanding post, at a head region of which there is provided extensible webbing. The head region of each post includes one or more clips to which the extensible webbing from another post and webbing barrier can be coupled, such that a plurality of post and webbing barriers can be connected together to form a partitioning structure.
The inventor has identified a problem with known partitioning apparatus of this type in that the resultant partitioning structure does not present much in the way of a visible obstruction, nor does the webbing itself constitute a difficult obstacle for a person to pass. Furthermore, the inventor has identified that it would be advantageous to increase the visibility of such partitioning structures. The inventor has also identified that it would be advantageous to utilise parts of the partitioning structure for another purpose, such as providing information relevant to the location of the partitioning structure.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided barrier apparatus for supporting a flexible banner, the apparatus comprising, a spindle and an attachment element attached to the spindle and arranged to enable the flexible banner to be releasably coupled to the spindle.
Thus, apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention enables different flexible banners to be removably attached to a spindle. The attachment element is connected to the spindle and consequently can be moved by it. As such, the apparatus according to this aspect of the present invention enables different banners to be attached to spindle such that a suitable banner can be chosen for a particular location and/or time and the banner can be wound around the spindle when not in use. A banner may be a solid sheet of material, such as a plastics material or fabric, or may be a flexible electronics device such as a flexible liquid crystal display screen.
The barrier apparatus may comprise a body arranged to rotatably carry the spindle.
The barrier apparatus may be arranged such that rotation of the spindle in a first direction causes the banner to be wound around it.
Thus, a banner can be wound around the spindle, for example when not in use.
The attachment element may be arranged to be accessible when the banner is unwound from the spindle.
Thus, when the banner is substantially fully unwound from the spindle the attachment element becomes accessible, thereby enabling the banner to be removed and/or replaced.
The attachment element may comprise a flexible member connected at one side or end thereof to the spindle, such that it can be at least partially wound around and unwound from the spindle.
Thus, the attachment element can be rolled around at least some of the spindle, which may result in a compact stowing configuration of a banner.
The attachment element may comprise a coupling formation spaced from the side or end connected to the spindle, the coupling formation being arranged to couple with a complementary coupling formation of the banner.
Thus, the attachment element acts as a spacer between the banner and spindle. This can result in the coupling formation being more readily accessible during removal and/or replacement of a banner.
The barrier apparatus may comprise a locking mechanism operable to lock the spindle so as to inhibit rotation thereof in the first direction.
This may assist in terms of preventing the coupling formation moving to an inaccessible configuration during removal and/or replacement.
The barrier apparatus may comprise biasing means arranged to urge the spindle to rotate in the first direction.
Thus, the apparatus may be arranged to roll the banner around the spindle, which may assist in stowing the banner when the apparatus is not in use.
The locking mechanism may be arranged to permit a portion of the attachment element to be unwound from the spindle due to an unwinding force and, upon removal of the unwinding force, lock the apparatus in a position or condition in which the portion of the attachment element is accessible. The portion may include the coupling formation.
The apparatus may be arranged such that rotation of the spindle in the second direction due to an unwinding force exceeding a predefined threshold causes the locking element to unlock, thereby permitting the biasing means to rotate the spindle in the first direction.
The barrier apparatus may further comprise an anchoring element arranged to be anchored to a support structure, the anchoring element further being arranged to releasably couple to a free end region of the flexible banner.
The barrier apparatus may be configured such that, in use, the anchoring element supports the banner and body.
The body may be arranged to be supported by one or more support elements, such that, in use, the body supports the banner.
The body may define a chamber within which the spindle is housed, the body having an opening via which the attachment element may pass or may be accessed.
Thus, the body may at least partially encapsulate the banner, when stowed, to reduce the likelihood of it getting dirty or damaged.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a support post adaptor for a support post having a barrier member which is extensible from a head region thereof, the support post adapter comprising a body arranged to be mounted on the head region of the post, the body having an engagement formation arranged to releasably connect apparatus for supporting a flexible banner to the body and an opening arranged to accommodate the barrier member.
Thus, an adapter may be provided on a post to enable it to carry apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, which may in some cases be too heavy for a conventional post. An opening of the adapter accommodates the barrier member such that the adapter does not interfere with the normal working of the post.
The body may comprise a generally cylindrical body having a closed head portion and open bottom, so as to define a cavity for receiving the head portion of the post.
The apparatus for supporting a flexible banner may be barrier apparatus for supporting a flexible banner according to the first aspect of the present invention.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided barrier apparatus comprising: apparatus for supporting a flexible banner; one or more support structures; one or more support structure adapters arranged to be mounted on the respective support structures and in turn carry the apparatus for supporting a flexible banner; and an anchoring element arranged to be attached to part of the flexible banner.
The apparatus for supporting a flexible member may be barrier apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention.
The one or more support structure adapters may be support post adapters according to the second aspect of the present invention.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from, and clarified with reference to, the embodiments described herein.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
Whilst in the illustrated example the attachment element comprises a flexible member, in other embodiments the attachment element may be provided directly on or adjacent the spindle, for example, a connector or clip provided on the circumferential wall of the spindle. In such a case it is however advantageous that the attachment element can be readily and easily accessible by a user, for example, a region of the housing defined by the cross member 12 being arranged to be opened to permit access thereto or having an opening formed therein to allow such access for the purpose of removably coupling a flexible banner to the spindle.
The apparatus 10 is arranged such that rotation of the spindle in a first direction causes the flexible banner 16 to be wound around the spindle, so as to retract the flexible banner 16 into the cross member 12. Conversely, rotation of the spindle in an opposite second direction causes the flexible banner 16 to be deployed from the cross member 12.
The apparatus 10 in the illustrated example comprises a locking mechanism operable to lock the spindle so as to inhibit rotation thereof in the first direction. However, it should be noted that in other embodiments a locking element may act on other parts of the apparatus to inhibit deployment and/or retraction of the banner. In some embodiments, the locking mechanism may be such that the flexible banner 16 may be deployed to a first position, in which the apparatus 10 is in a first configuration, whereupon the locking mechanism locks so as to prevent the banner 16 being wound back onto the spindle. A tensile unwinding force applied to the banner 16 in a downwards direction may disengage the locking mechanism so as to permit the banner 16 to be wound back around the spindle. In this sense, the locking mechanism is akin to those found in conventional roller blinds such that the banner 16 can be locked at various degrees of deployment from the cross member 12. However, any suitable locking mechanism may be provided and it should be noted that some embodiments may not include a locking mechanism.
In the illustrated example, a biasing means is provided to bias the spindle towards rotation in the first direction, such that, in the absence of other forces, the spindle rotates in a direction such that the banner 16 is wound onto the spindle. Any suitable biasing means may be provided, such as a coil spring or the like and many suitable biasing means will be apparent to a skilled person. It should be noted that a biasing means is an optional feature that may be omitted from certain embodiments.
An anchoring element 18 can be attached to part of the barrier 16. The anchoring element in this example 18 comprises an elongate body including a pair of clamps 20 disposed at respective ends thereof, the clamps 20 being movable to enable engagement of the anchoring element 18 with a structure, such as a support post. The anchoring element may be used to fix the lower end of a banner to inhibit the banner swinging, in particular about the longitudinal axis of the cross member 12. It should however be noted that an anchoring element 18 need not always be used in conjunction with apparatus for supporting a flexible banner 10.
Referring to
Referring to
The anchoring element 18 is shown connected to the free end of the flexible banner 16, with its clamps 20 extended so as to be in contact with the respective posts 32. In some embodiments, where the posts 32 are formed from certain types of metal, the clamp elements 20 may include a magnet such that they each are attracted to the posts so as to maintain the position relative to the posts 32 and inhibit movement therefrom. In other embodiments, the clamp elements may include means by which to frictionally engage with the posts or any other suitable means by which to anchor the anchoring element 18 to a part of the apparatus 30. In some embodiments the anchor element 18 may define a cavity arranged to receive the cross member 12 such that it may be stored therein, for example when not in use.
In use, the flexible banner 16 may be withdrawn from the cross member 12 from a generally stowed configuration, as shown in
From the deployed configuration, a user may either return the apparatus to a stowed configuration by causing or allowing the banner 16 to be wound around the spindle, in some embodiments under the influence of the biasing means. Alternatively, should a user wish to switch the flexible banner 16 with another flexible banner, he or she may draw the banner 16 further out of the cross member 12 to a coupling and decoupling configuration, as shown in
In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may further comprise a winding mechanism which may be accessible from the exterior of the cross member 12, to enable the attachment element 14 to be put into an accessible configuration should it be unintentionally moved to an inaccessible configuration, for example.
The apparatus 30, 10 for supporting the flexible banner according to embodiments of the invention therefore enables a visible physical barrier to be easily and quickly erected and enables different flexible banners 16 to be attached to the apparatus 10, which may be desirable for advertising purposes, for example.
Advantageously, when the apparatus 30 is disassembled for storage or the like, the banner 16 may be wound onto the spindle so as to be generally encapsulated by the cross member 12, so as to prevent the banner 16 becoming damaged, or dirty, or the like. The cross member 12 can, in some embodiments of the present invention, be considered to be a “cassette” from which the banner 16 can be retractably deployed and replaced as desired with another banner.
Whilst in the embodiments described above the banner display apparatus includes a cross member that is arranged to be supported such that a banner can be deployed therefrom, in another embodiment the apparatus may be arranged such that, in use, the cross member is suspended by the banner. In such an embodiment an anchoring element, arranged to be attached to the free end region of the banner, may be configured to be supported by one or more support structures, such as support posts. Thus the cross member and spindle are supported by the banner. The cross member may include clamps or the like to enable it to be anchored to a support structure to stabilise the lower end of the apparatus in use. It will be appreciated that in such an embodiment the functions of the cross member 12 and anchor member 18 of the apparatus 10 have generally been reversed. The anchoring element may be a hollow cylinder or the like arranged to receive the cross member and stowed banner when the apparatus is dismantled. In some embodiments the cross member may be omitted such that only a banner and spindle are supported by the anchoring element.
In another embodiment the cross member may be similar to the cross member 12 but arranged to be supported by a base in a generally upright configuration i.e. its longitudinal axis is generally vertical. The banner may thus be deployed horizontally to form a barrier or the like. The free end of the banner may be arranged to be attached to a support structure, such as a support post, wall or the like.
In another embodiment the cross member may be omitted entirely, such that the spindle is rotatably mounted with respect to a support element. In this embodiment the spindle may be supported, for example by a support post, such that the banner can be deployed from the spindle. As described above, in this embodiment an anchoring element may be provided, in some cases comprising a hollow tube in which the spindle and banner may be stowed (in a wound-up configuration) for storage, transport or the like.
The banner in any of the described embodiments may be of any suitable flexible material, such as a plastics material, a fabric or combination of fabrics, a flexible electronics device such as a liquid crystal display device or the like.
Referring to
As shown in
The support post adapter 36 further includes an opening 42 arranged to accommodate the barrier webbing of a typical post and webbing barrier, such that the extensible webbing can be withdrawn from the post, through the opening 42, in the event the user wishes to use extensible webbing along side the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. For this reason, the engagement formation 46 includes an opening, such that two standard post and webbing barriers can be connected together in a conventional fashion whilst having support post adapters 36 according to embodiments of the invention attached thereto.
A support post adapter 36 according to embodiments of the invention therefore provides a means by which to adapt conventional post and webbing barriers to a support post suitable for and arranged to support apparatus for supporting a flexible banner 10 according to embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, an adapter 36 may include a single engagement formation 46 and in other embodiments a plurality of engagement formalities 46 may be provided, in some cases at regular angular spacing around the side wall of the adapter 36. Engagement formations 46 may or may not include openings to accommodate the barrier webbing of anchor post. Whilst the adaptor 36 in the illustrated example is shown in conjunction with a support port, in other embodiments the adaptor may be arranged to be used in conjunction with any suitable support structure, such as a wall, to maintain the position of the adaptor 36 such that it may, in turn, support apparatus 10 according to embodiments of the present invention.
The described apparatus according to embodiments of the invention can be formed of any suitable material. It is preferred that all external parts are formed of materials that will not rust, such as a non-ferrous metal like aluminium, or a plastics material.
Claims
1. A support post adaptor for a support post having a barrier member which is extensible from a head region thereof, the support post adapter comprising a body arranged to be mounted on the head region of the post, the body having an engagement formation arranged to releasably connect apparatus for supporting a flexible banner to the body and an opening arranged to accommodate the barrier member.
2. A support post adapter according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a generally cylindrical body having a closed head portion and open bottom, so as to define a cavity for receiving the head portion of the post.
3. A support post adapter according to claim 1, wherein the support post is a post and webbing barrier.
4. A support post adapter according to claim 1, wherein the engagement formation includes an pair of elongate flanged rails arranged to be slidably connected to the apparatus for supporting a flexible banner.
5. A support post adapter according to claim 1, wherein the body is unitary.
6. A support post adapter according to claim 1, wherein the engagement formation includes the opening.
7. A support post adapter according to claim 1, including a plurality of engagement formations.
8. A support post adapter according to claim 7, wherein the engagement formations are provided at regular angular spacing around the body.
9. A support post adapter according to claim 1, including a plurality of openings.
10. Apparatus comprising:
- apparatus for supporting a flexible banner;
- one or more support structures; one or more support structure adapters arranged to be mounted on the respective support posts and in turn carry the apparatus for supporting a flexible banner; and
- an anchoring element arranged to be attached to part of the flexible banner.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the one or more support structure adapters claim 1 comprise:
- a barrier member which is extensible from a head region thereof;
- a body arranged to be mounted on a head region of the respective support post, the body having an engagement formation arranged to releasably connect the apparatus for supporting the flexible banner to the body; and
- an opening arranged to accommodate the barrier member.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus for supporting a flexible member comprises:
- a spindle and an attachment element attached to the spindle and arranged to enable the flexible banner to be releasably coupled to the spindle.
13. Barrier apparatus for supporting a flexible banner, the apparatus comprising a spindle and an attachment element attached to the spindle and arranged to enable the flexible banner to be releasably coupled to the spindle.
14. Barrier apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a body arranged to rotatably carry the spindle.
15. Barrier apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that rotation of the spindle in a first direction causes the banner to be wound around it.
16. Barrier apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the attachment element is arranged to be accessible when the advertising banner is unwound from the spindle.
17. Barrier apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the attachment element comprises a flexible member connected at one side or end there of to the spindle, such that it can be at least partially wound around and unwound from the spindle.
18. Barrier apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the attachment element comprises a coupling formation spaced from the side or end connected to the spindle, the coupling formation being arranged to couple with a complementary coupling formation of the banner.
19. Barrier apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a locking mechanism operable to lock the spindle so as to inhibit rotation thereof in the first direction.
20. Barrier apparatus according to claim 14, comprising biasing means arranged to urge the spindle to rotate in the first direction.
21. Barrier apparatus according to claim 20, comprising a locking mechanism operable to lock the spindle so as to inhibit rotation thereof in the first direction, and wherein the locking mechanism is arranged to permit a portion of the attachment element to be unwound from the spindle due to an applied unwinding force and upon removal of the unwinding force, lock the apparatus in a condition in which the portion of the attachment element is accessible.
22. Barrier apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that rotation of the spindle in the second direction, due to an unwinding force exceeding a predefined threshold, causes the locking element to unlock, thereby permitting the biasing means to rotate the spindle in the first direction.
23. Barrier apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising an anchoring element arranged to be anchored to a support structure, the anchoring element further being arranged to releasably couple to a free end region of the flexible banner.
24. Barrier apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, in use, the anchoring element supports the banner and body.
25. Barrier apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the body is arranged to be supported by one or more support elements, such that, in use, the body supports the banner.
26. Barrier apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the body defines a chamber within which the spindle is housed, the body having an opening via which the attachment element may pass or may be accessed.
27-29. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 25, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 20, 2012
Inventor: Robert Lewis Lewis (Sussex)
Application Number: 13/392,333
International Classification: E01F 13/02 (20060101);