AU2008100958B4 - Tram-line specific point of display - Google Patents

Description

1 O TRAM-LINE SPECIFIC POINT OF DISPLAY N FIELD OF THE INVENTION tThe present invention relates to devices which may be placed between tram tracks and the like for display of information to waiting passengers.

BACKGROUND

00 Through the years of progression of tram-stops, advertising has evolved from dark and scruffy poster boards to modern, attractive light boxes with well illuminated and clean advertisement space, also offering shelter and seating for trams users.

00 All of the current points of advertising rely on the target customer viewing the advertisement in the vertical plane, which requires a special vertical mounting.

This makes for attractive targets for vandalism and this in turn adds significantly to the cost of maintenance. These traditional forms of advertising are particularly prone to breakage due to the fact they have little support over the entire advertising area.

One space which has never been used for advertising at tram-stops is the horizontal space on the floor in-between the tram tracks. This area makes the perfect place for advertising. At most tram-stops, most people occupy the space at the edge of the platform and consequently do not face the traditional advertising hoarding behind them. Bearing this in mind, the main focus of people's vision is vertically downwards i.e. between the tram tracks themselves.

Subsequently this makes the perfect placement for advertising. Also this area is generally not accessed by cars or pedestrians, and therefore accidental damage will be unlikely. As the subject matter of the invention is supported across its entire area by the ground beneath it, and by careful selection of the upper surface material, it is possible to produce advertising structures which are almost impervious to impact damage. The high visibility afforded by the location of the device will act as a deterrent by any would be vandals.

A method of displaying information between rail tracks is described in US patent no. 5791605. That document describes a signalling device having angled front and back faces provided with visual indicia for displaying to a train driver.

However, due to the angled geometry of the device, there can only be a relatively limited surface area for information display, and a passenger standing on the 2 O platform, particularly perpendicular to the device, may find it difficult to view the

O

Sinformation.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an information display device which can provide relatively large viewing area and a larger range of viewing angles for S 5 passengers waiting at a tram stop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 00 t In one aspect, the present invention provides an information display device fastenable between a pair of rails for a tram, including a display surface carrying information such as advertising, the device further including a mount having 0o fastening means for securing the device between the rails, wherein the device is substantially planar and the information is visible to a person located to one side of the rails.

The substantially planar device of the present invention may extend along the tram tracks for as great a distance as is desired, thus allowing a large amount of information to be displayed, or allowing for larger print which is easier to see.

Furthermore, the fastening means reduces or substantially eliminates the risk of the device being stolen.

Preferably, the fastening means includes at least one lock located in or on the mount.

In one preferred embodiment, the display surface includes a plurality of lenses focusing on a plurality of images, the lenses and the images cooperating to form an integral image, wherein the integral image exhibits a pseudostereoscopic or motion effect to the person located to one side of the rails.

The display surface may include a low surface tension material to assist in cleaning of the display surface.

In another aspect, there is provided a system for displaying information to a person located to one side of a pair of rails for a tram, including an information display device according to the first aspect of the invention, and a source of illumination for the display device, wherein the source of illumination may be powered or non-powered.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The selection of materials for the upper(2) surface overlaying the advertising(1), will be based upon the environment in which they will be placed 3 O and will take into account matters such as UV exposure, humidity and N temperature variations.

Typical materials will be those such as polyester sheeting, acrylic sheeting, polypropylene sheeting, PVC sheeting and impact resistant glass. It maybe necessary where some materials do not have sufficient UV resistance, that this can be augmented by the use of appropriate stabilising additives. Though it is recognised that this is not a definitive list and materials suitable to the purpose Scan be chosen by the people skilled in the art.

In another embodiment, the upper surface(2) of the advertising feature(1) can be covered with a plurality of lenses(16) (Fig3). These lenses(16) may exist as cylindrical array and as such project animation or pseudo-stereoscopic images. The focal length of the lenses(16) will be as such, so that the person standing on the platform will be at the focal length and within the depth of field.

Another embodiment is where by the upper surface(2) of the printed advertisement(l) is covered with an array of aspherical lenses(16)(Fig3) packed at specific repeating periods in relation to the artwork underneath(l). By doing so, the observer on the platform will notice a series of magnified images moving orthogonal to the movement of their head, creating a dynamic and striking visual image. By first of all printing an image in the foreground and then printing the periodic image behind, it is possible to also create a 3 dimensional effect (Fig 3).

Another embodiment is where instead of printing the advertising image(1) on a separate material and placing the lenses(16) on top, the reverse of the lenses(16) can be directly printed on, eliminating the bottom layer(Fig 4).

Another embodiment of the invention involves illuminating the advertising(1) from above, below or the side. This can be achieved in one or more ways. In the first instance the device can be lit from below using one or more embedded into the bottom layer(3) of the device (Fig7). By choosing a combination of LEDs(10) of specific wavelength, it is possible to consistently vary/accent the colour and specific areas of the design(Fig7). These can be powered by batteries(17) which maybe conventional or rechargeable. In the case of the latter, the recharging can take place by the incorporation of a photovoltaic cell(13) into the upper layer(2) of the device or sandwiched between the upper(2) and lower layer(3).

4 O Alternatively by including phosphor luminescent materials into the c upper(2), lower layers(3) or even the print(1) itself of the device, can capture cenergy during daylight hours and emit this as light during darkness.

Another alternative is to include fluorescent materials into the upper(2), lower(3) layer or even the print itself(1). Then when light impinges upon these 0 materials during darkness they will emit light over, specific wavelength and illuminate the advertisement(1).

Another alternative is to create the upper surface with a series of retro oo reflective structures(9) which can direct stray/incident light from vehicles including 0 10 the trams themselves, to illuminate the signs between the tram tracks.(Fig In another embodiment the upper(2) surface contains micro structures and low surface tension polymers/additives such that when it rains the surface tension of the upper(2) surface is sufficiently low and it's textured surface is of sufficient gradient for the water droplets coalesce, and in doing so cleans the surface without manual intervention.

The final embodiment either the upper(2), lower(3), the print or all three surfaces maybe selected such that they are marked when exposed to a laser with a specific frequency. When the marked surface is illuminated from above, below, or from the side, the marked area will interfere with the transmission of the light and appear brighter than the background.

To secure the print advertisement(1) to the advertising space(8) between the tram tracks(4), a frame(5) will be used which will secure the advertisement to the concrete. This frame(5) will consist of a locking mechanism(20). The locking may consist of four locks(6) or more, one in each corner. These locks(6) will secure the advertisement(1) and can only be released using a key(19)(Figl).

Claims (4)

1. An information display device fastenable between a pair of rails for a tram, including a display surface carrying information such as advertising, the device further including a mount having fastening means for securing the device between the rails, wherein the device is substantially planar and the information is 00 i visible to a person located to one side of the rails.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means includes at 00oo Sleast one lock located in or on the mount.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display surface includes a plurality of lenses focusing on a plurality of images, the lenses and the images cooperating to form an integral image, wherein the integral image exhibits a pseudo-stereoscopic or motion effect to the person located to one side of the rails.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display surface includes a low surface tension material to assist in cleaning of the display surface. A system for displaying information to a person located to one side of a pair of rails for a tram, including an information display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and a source of illumination for the display device, wherein the source of illumination may be powered or non-powered. BENJAMIN PAUL STEVENS