HOLDER FOR DISPLAYING A SHEET OF MATERIAL

Abstract

A holder for displaying a sheet of material is provided. The holder includes a back plate; a front plate configured for being removably received by the back plate; a display area defined by the front plate configured to display a sheet of material; and at least one stopper configured for being removably received within an opening of the back plate. The at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate. The at least one stopper makes friction contact with the lip portion and the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate. The at least one stopper prevents movement of the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to a patent application filed on Sep. 28, 2006 and assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 11/529,042, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,954,267 titled “Holder for Displaying a Sheet of Material”; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to display devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a holder for displaying interchangeable sheets of material including display components which can be removably inserted into the holder for enabling a plurality of display options. The holder includes at least one stopper which is inserted into a rear surface of the holder and forced against a front transparent plate, such as a glass or plastic, of the holder for locking the front plate and preventing movement thereof.

2. Background of the Related Art

When displaying information such as, for example, an advertising display, display holders are used to receive the advertising material therein. One requirement for these holders is that they must be able to firmly secure the material received within the holder. However, it is necessary to be able to quickly and easily change or replace the display material in the holder, for example when advertising material needs to be updated. It is also necessary to quickly and easily change the display/retaining area of the holder that may have been damaged during use or to alter the appearance of the display, e.g., the tint or color of the display area through which advertising material is viewed. Problems with known display holders are that it may be difficult to do this. Another problem is that a movable front transparent plate, such as a glass or plastic, is free to move after the display material is mounted to the holder

It is accordingly an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a holder suitable for displaying a sheet of material which overcomes the problems noted above.

SUMMARY

A holder for displaying a sheet of material is provided having a back plate and a transparent front plate. The back plate defines a groove for slidably receiving the front plate therein. The back plate includes means for mounting the holder to a support surface such as a wall or door. The means for mounting can include at least one adhesive. At least one locking member is included on the back plate in the form of a stopper configured to be inserted through a hole in the back plate. The stopper is inserted within the hole and forced against the front plate when the front plate is aligned with the back plate to secure the front plate in a closed position to allow for viewing of the sheet of material therethrough. The stopper can be secured within the hole via tape, sticker or other adhesive applied to the rear end of the stopper and the back plate.

In an embodiment, a holder for displaying a sheet of material is provided. The holder includes a back plate; a front plate configured for being removably received by the back plate; a display area defined by the front plate configured to display a sheet of material; and at least one stopper configured for being removably received within an opening of the back plate. The at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate. The at least one stopper makes friction contact with the lip portion and the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate. The at least one stopper prevents movement of the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

In another embodiment, a central portion of the stopper includes a groove for allowing the sheet of material to slide through the groove and thereby, prevent the sheet of material from being blocked by the stopper as it is inserted between the back plate and the front plate.

Still, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the holder can be packaged as a kit having several back plates and several removable front plates. The front plates and/or the back plates can be different colors, tints, etc. to enable replacement thereof with another front plate and/or back plate from the kit. Additionally, multiple size variations are envisioned, vertical and horizontal dimensions of the bracket, front plate, back plate, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Particular embodiments of the presently disclosed holder are described herein with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a holder for displaying a sheet of material, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the holder shown in FIG. 1 illustrating a removable front plate attached to the back plate;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the holder shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the back plate;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the holder shown in FIG. 1 with the back plate and front plate assembled;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the identified region shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 shows a front perspective, exploded view of the front plate, the back plate and the stoppers of the holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a back perspective view of the holder shown in FIG. 1, showing insertion of the stoppers;

FIG. 8 shows a front view of the front plate of the holder shown in FIG. 1, illustrating notches therein for aligning with the stoppers; and

FIGS. 9A and 9B show phantom, front perspective views of the holder shown in FIG. 1, illustrating movement of the front plate with respect to the back plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the presently disclosed holder are described below in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views.

Referring to FIG. 1-9B, there is shown a holder for displaying a sheet of material therein according to an embodiment of the present disclosure generally identified by reference numeral 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the holder 100 includes a display area A which is defined by a front plate 102 through which a sheet of material 104 is viewed. The front plate 102 may be generally square in shape and constructed from any one of several clear or transparent materials as is necessary for viewing the sheet of material therethrough. The front plate 102 can be a magnifying lens. The front plate 102 can also be tinted.

The holder 200 further includes a back plate 106 for mounting to a support surface (not shown) via an adhesive, such as the adhesive strips 110 shown by FIGS. 3 and 7. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the front plate 102 is removable from the back plate 106 to enable changing of the front plate 102 and/or the sheet of material 104. The back plate 106 is shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 and includes a couple of openings 112 each configured to receive a stopper 114 for securing the front plate 102 to the back plate 106 after full insertion of the front plate 102 within the back plate 106 as shown by FIGS. 1, 4, 7 and 9A.

Each stopper 114 is inserted within an opening 112 of the back plate 106 from the rear of the back plate 106. Each stopper 114 traverses a rear panel 116 of the back plate 106 and a notch 118 formed on an edge 120 of the front plate 102 (see FIG. 8). A front end 122 of each stopper 114 contacts a lip portion 124 of the back plate 106 as shown by the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A. Each stopper 114 is friction fit between the front plate 102 and the back plate 106. That is, side surfaces 126 of each stopper 114 make friction contact with the front plate 102 at locations B and C shown by FIG. 5A. The friction contact secures the front plate 102 to the back plate and thereby, prevents the front plate 102 from sliding along a track 128 defined by each lip portion 124 of the back plate 106.

An adhesive, such as adhesive tape, may be affixed to the rear panel 116 of the back plate 106 overlaying a rear end 130 of each stopper 114. The adhesive applies a force against each stopper 114 to force the front end 122 of each stopper 114 against an inner surface 132 of the lip portion 124 and the side surface 126 of each stopper against the front plate 102 at locations B and C shown by FIGS. 5A and 5B.

When each stopper 114 is fully inserted within the holder 100, the rear end 130 is flush with the rear panel 116 of the back plate 106. To unlock the front plate 102 from the back plate 106, each stopper 114 is removed from the holder 100. This enables the front plate 102 to slide within the track 128 of the holder 100 as shown by FIGS. 9A and 9B. A tactile and/or audio feedback may be generated by includes structure as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,954,267 issued on Jun. 7, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

By sliding along the track 128, the front plate 102 slides into an open position (see FIG. 9B) to enable insertion or removal of the sheet of material 104. In this manner, the front plate 102 and/or the sheet of material 104 may be removed and/or replaced, changed, cleaned, etc.

In an embodiment, a central portion of the stopper 114 includes a groove for allowing the sheet of material 104 to slide through the groove and thereby, prevent the sheet of material 114 from being blocked by the stopper 114 as it is inserted between the back plate 106 and the front plate 102.

The holder 100 may be packaged as a kit having several front plates 102 and several back plates 106 to allow for interchangeability. The front plates 102 and back plates 106 can have different sizes and colors, including multi-colored, clear (transparent), or opaque for enabling the removal of the front plate 104 and back plate 106 to be replaced with another from the kit.

It is contemplated that the front plate 102 and the back plate 106 can have varying sizes to enable size variations of the holder 100. That is, the vertical and horizontal dimension of the display area may vary depending on the size of the front plate 102 and back plate 106.

It will be appreciated that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

Claims

1. A holder for displaying a sheet of material, the holder comprising:

a back plate;

a front plate configured for being removably received by the back plate;

a display area defined by the front plate configured to display a sheet of material; and

at least one stopper configured for being removably received within an opening of the back plate, wherein the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the back plate includes a lip portion defining a track along which the front plate is slidably received by the back plate.

3. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the back plate includes a back surface configured for mounting to a support surface.

4. The holder according to claim 2, wherein the at least one stopper makes friction contact with the lip portion and the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

5. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stopper prevents movement of the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

6. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the front plate includes a notch, and wherein the at least one stopper makes contact with an inner surface of the notch when the at least one stopper is friction fit within the holder.

7. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stopper includes a groove for passage of the sheet of material therethrough.

8. The holder according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the front plate is aligned with an edge of the back plate when the front plate is fully received within the back plate.

9. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of material includes indicia thereon.

10. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the front plate is substantially transparent.

11. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the front plate is a magnifying lens.

12. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the front plate is tinted.

13. A kit for displaying a sheet of material, comprising:

at least one back plate;

a plurality of front plates each configured for being removably received by the back plate;

a display area defined by each front plate and configured to display a sheet of material; and

at least one stopper configured for being removably received within an opening of the back plate, wherein the at least one stopper is friction fit between one of the plurality of front plates and the back plate.

14. The kit according to claim 13, wherein the at least one back plate includes at least one back plate with a first size and at least one back plate with a second size different from the first size.

15. The kit according to claim 13, the plurality of front plates are provided in multiple sizes and different colors, including multi-color and clear, for enabling replacement thereof.

16. The kit according to claim 13, wherein the at least one back plate includes a lip portion defining a track along which a front plate of the plurality of front plates is slidably received by the back plate.

17. The kit according to claim 13, wherein the back plate includes a back surface configured for mounting to a support surface.

18. The kit according to claim 16, wherein the at least one stopper makes friction contact with the lip portion and the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

19. The kit according to claim 16, wherein the at least one stopper prevents movement of the front plate when the at least one stopper is friction fit between the front plate and the back plate.

20. The kit according to claim 16, wherein the front plate includes a notch, and wherein the at least one stopper makes contact with an inner surface of the notch when the at least one stopper is friction fit within the holder.