GB2331830A - Roller-blind display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A roller blind display apparatus has a central support (30) on which is mounted two spaced plates (32, 34) carrying between them a set of parallel clear or translucent rollers (40) defining an arcuate path, e.g. a circular path. The rollers (40) are mounted to be freely rotatable to allow a blind (22) to be guided around the path. The blind is mounted on a pair of blind rollers (50) within the cage of guide rollers (40) and the blind rollers are driven by a drive mechanism (70) mounted externally on one of the plates (34). The apparatus can be constructed to simulate a can (Figure 1) with the blind having successive portions (24a, 24b) movable to provide the "label" for the can. The can is internally lit by luminaires (80). The simulation of a can is completed by top and bottom sections (12, 16) secured on the spaced plates (32, 34) and which can be used to house operating devices and mechanisms for the display.

Description

1 is 2331830 Title: Roller-Blind Display Apparatus This invention relates

to a display apparatus and more particularly to a roller-blind display apparatus.

It is known to provide display information, such as advertising, on a flexible web or carrier, generally referred to as a blind, the display information being provided at locations along the blind and being selectively displayable by moving the desired location to a display position by winding the blind between a pair of rollers.

Examples of a roller blind display for selectively displaying a number in a window area in a price display is found in GB-A-2114355 (Forecourt Support Ltd.) and in EP-A0253033 (World Acrilux S.A.). Such displays may also be used to successively display a series of advertisements carried on the blind as is commonly found at sporting stadia. In all these cases, the display area is planar, the blind being moved vertically and intermittently between the pair of rollers.

The present invention is concerned with a display apparatus in which the display area is a curved surface, more particularly a cylindrical surface, especially a circular cylindrical surface. A manually- operated device in which display material is movable around a circular path is disclosed in British patent specification GB 725 320.

There will be described hereinafter a display apparatus in which advertising material is displayed around substantially the whole of a circular cylindrical surface with the roller blind mechanism being contained within the cylinder and the advertising material being back-lit by lighting also contained within the cylinder. The roller blind mechanism is directly driven by a motor drive and is indexed to bring 2 r is successive portions of the blind into the display position.

Aspects and features of the present invention for which protection is presently sought are set out in the claims.

The invention is advantageously employed to provide a large simulation of a cylindrical object such as, for example, a can of the ring-pull opening kind as used for soft drinks, beer etc.

The invention and its practice will be better understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a rollerblind. display apparatus embodying the invention, the apparatus being realised in the form of a simulated beer can.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal view of the internal structure of the can; Figs. 3A and 3b show upper and lower support plates of the internal structure; and Fig. 4 shows a detail of the mounting of a guide roller.

In order that the purpose and use of the apparatus of the invention can be best understood, an example of a rollerblind display simulating a beer can will be explained with reference to Fig. 1. The figure shows external structural elements supported by an internal structure to be described later.

The apparatus 10 is constructed to represent a beer can of conventional circular cylindrical shape. The can 10 comprises any external base shell 12 which is supported at a desired level by a support 14 which as will be described extends axially through the body of the can. Externally of 3 the can, support 14 is formed for mounting as desired. The other end of the can 10 is formed with an external shell 16 (simulating the top of a conventional can with a ring-pull 18 and beer froth 20).

The cylindrical side of the can is provided by a movable roller-blind 22 which seats between the base shell 12 and the upper shell 16. The blind 22 in this embodiment gives the appearance of emerging f rom a slot in the can (at the top not visible in Fig. 1) being wrapped around the can in a circular path and re-entering the can through the same slot.

The blind is wound between two rollers within the cavity of the can. In this embodiment the blind is of a clear or translucent polyester for back-illumination by lamps within the can. The blind carries along its length successive advertising displays in the form of transparencies printed with the advertising material. For example, each transparency is dimensioned to provide a,label,, for the can representing the can as it would look in ordinary manufacture. Fig. 1 shows the blind 22 part wound on between two advertisements 24a, 24b.

The support 14 which extends through the can is of tubular metal. In the illustrated embodiment, externally of the can it is formed and rises from a floor pedestal (not shown). To give some idea of scale the can 10 may be say 2 metres in height and mounted about 3 m above ground so as to be above normal head height. However, the structure can be widely varied in size.

Turning now to the internal construction of the can, this is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2.

4 The support 14 entering and extending within the can comprises a straight portion 30 which extends along the axis of the can. Supported in spaced relationship on the support portion 30 are a f irst circular support plate 32 at or adjacent the free end of support 30 and to which the upper shell 16 is attached to project forwardly, and a second circular support plate 34 carrying the base shell 12 projecting backwardly.

The support plates 32 and 34 are secured to the axial portion 30 in a detachable manner so that the whole can structure can be lifted free of support portion 30. All the other internal structure including any strengthening braces or struts are carried by the support plates 32 and 34.

In this embodiment the blind is moved in its circular path over a series of free-running rollers mounted about the peripheries of the support plates. The mounting of these rollers can be better understood with reference to Figs. 3A and 3B showing the plates 32 and 34 respectively. The plates have identical sets of closely spaced peripheral apertures 36 and 38 respectively, each set being in two groups of eight symmetrical about a vertical axis 36a and 38a respectively.

The apertures are set equidistant from the axis 31 of support 30. Support structure for the support 30 is shown diagrammatically about the axis. In each aperture a ball bearing assembly is mounted having a portion projecting inwardly of the plate onto which one end of an acrylic tubular roller is a push-fit - sixteen rollers 40 in all. Fig. 2 shows a few of the rollers 40 for clarity of illustration, two of which designated 41 and 42 are shown in full. They are a push-fit onto bearings 44a, 46a and 44b, 46b respectively.

The other rollers are like mounted. The rollers freely rotate about their axes, which are parallel to the axis of support 3 0, and ef f ectively define the cylindrical side of the can over which the roller blind 22 is drawn. The number of rollers is chosen to give a good approximation to the desired circular cylindrical shape. The rollers are stiff enough to define the required shape but have sufficient flexibility for some bending of them in fitting. Preferably the bearings are fitted in one plate, e.g. 32, and the rollers push-fitted on them at one end. The bearings are then inserted in the aperture in the other plate, 34, and into push-fitted engagement with the rollers, the bearings then being secured in the apertures.

The sixteen rollers 40 are made of a clear acrylic to enable transmission of light therethrough from internal luminaires as will be further described.

Also supported between the two plates 32 and 34 are a pair of rollers carrying the blind. one such roller is shown in Fig. 2 and is indicated by numeral 50. Each blind roller extends outwardly of (below) the lower support plate 34 as shown by portion 52 of roller 50. Referring to Figs. 3A and 3B it will be seen that each of the support plates 32 and 34 has a pair of closed spaced apertures 54a, 54b and 56a, 56b respectively symmetrical about the vertical axes and located inwardly of the blindguidance rollers 40. The blind rollers such as 50 are rotationally supported in these apertures.

The apertures 54a, 54b and 56a, 56b are located on the top portion of the plate so that, as indicated on Fig. 3A, the 6 blind 22, whose path is indicated by a dashed line, extends from one blind roller along a path 58 between a pair of guide rollers and over one of them, 60, to encircle the full set of guide rollers and re-enter over roller 62 between the same pair, 60 and 62. The return path 64 terminates in the other blind roller. This leaves only a narrow slot not encircled by the blind. It will be noted that the positioning of the blind rollers is further from vertical axis 36a than rollers and 62 and the slot is at a point of the display least visible to the public and where any shadowing cast by the internal blind structure is least visible. In the particularly described case the exit and entry point is at the top of the side of the can not seen by the public below.

At least one blind roller such as roller 50 is preferably provided with a spring-loaded tensioning mechanism to maintain taught the encircling cylindrical display part of the blind. The blind rollers are driven by a geared electric motor 70 mounted on the outer surface of lower support plate 34. The motor drives the extended end 52 of the blind roller by a belt drive 72, and a separate belt drive couples this blind roller to the extended end of the other blind roller. It will be seen that the motor drive arrangements are housed within the lower outer shell 12 and other electric fittings for the lamps are likewise supported on this outer surface of plate 34.

Associated with the motor drive arrangement is means for controlling the blind-carrying rollers to ensure that for each change of display the blind is advanced by the correct amount. This can be done with the aid of index marks or holes in the 7 blind cooperating with a photo-electric sensor. Once the blind has advanced through all its displays in one direction, its movement is reversed.

Fig. 2 also shows one of a number of lamps 80 contained within the cage structure defined by the blind guide rollers for back-lighting the blind. These lamps may be fluorescent tubes mounted between fittings secured to the internal surfaces of support plates 32 and 34.

Fig. 4 shows a bearing, e.g. 44a, suitable for mounting the rollers 40 for free rotation. The bearing is a ball-race type of bearing having an axial cylindrical flange 90 which is suitably attachable to the end plate and which has a portion 92 that seats in a bearing aperture and also projects inwardly of the plate to carry the ball-race. Outwardly of the ball race is the freely-rotatable part 94 of the bearing which includes a cylindrical, inwardly projecting, sleeve portion 96 onto which the end of a roller 40 is a push fit.

8 is

Claims (11)

1. Claims 1. A roller blind display apparatus in which the display portion of

   the blind lies in a curved path, the path being at least partly defined by a plurality of freely-rotatable rollers over which the blind is guided.
2. 2. A display apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which said curved path is defined by the rotatable rollers without any other curved fixed surface.
3. 3. A display apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which blind-carrying rollers are mounted on the concave side of said curved path.
4. 4. A display apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which illumination means for backlighting the blind is mounted on the concave side of said curved path.
5. 5. A display apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which blind guide rollers are of a transparent material.
6. 6. A display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which said blind guide rollers are mounted in an essentially closed path such that the display portion of the blind lies in a cylinder.
7. 7.

   A roller blind display apparatus comprising: an elongate support member; first and second plates mounted at spaced locations along said support member; a set of guide rollers mounted in parallel between said plates to be freely rotatable, said guide rollers lying in a curved path for the transport of a blind; blind rollers for carrying a blind rotatably mounted between said support plates and located on the concave side 9 of said curved path.
8. 8. A roller blind apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 in which said curved path is closed.
9. 9. A roller blind apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 com prising illumination means carried by one or both support plates located within said closed path to back illuminate the portion of the blind lying in said curved path.
10. 10. A roller blind apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 in which said blind guide rollers are transparent.
11. 11. A roller blind display apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.