GB2377541A

GB2377541A - Display device with reflective surfaces.

Info

Publication number: GB2377541A
Application number: GB0117160A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Watson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-07-13
Filing date: 2001-07-13
Publication date: 2003-01-15
Also published as: GB0117160D0

Abstract

A display device (1) comprises a base surface (2) upon which an item to be displayed can be positioned. Reflective surfaces (3,4,5,6) extend from each edge of the base surface (2) at an included angle of substantially 135{. With this arrangement a viewer will observe the top of an item which is resting on the base surface (2) directly, and can simultaneously view both sides and both ends of the item via the respective reflective surfaces. The device preferably comprises a moulded plastics receptacle to provide the base surface (2) and the required support for minors which are secured to the moulding to form the reflective surfaces. A transparent cover may be provided to close the receptacle. The device may be used as a wall mounted display or as part of a horizontal surface, for example a display table.

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE This invention relates to a display device, that is to say a device which may be used for displaying an item for decorative or informational purposes.

Heretofore, if a three dimensional item was to be displayed for decorative or informational purposes, the item was either simply placed on a suitable surface so that it could be observed from different directions by rotating the item or walking around it, or it was placed within a display case, again with the objective of allowing the item to be observed from various angles by walking around the display case. In some circumstances, a mirror was provided to allow simultaneous viewing, from one observational point, of both the front and the rear of an object (for example a manuscript).

We have now devised a new display case which permits an item to be displayed for decorative or informational purposes in a manner which allows simultaneous viewing, from one observational point, of the top and all sides of the item. In one preferred embodiment of the invention particularly suitable for the display of items having a front, a rear and two sides, the device provides for simultaneous viewing of the top, the front, the rear and both sides of the item. Such a display device is particularly suitable for displaying such items as models.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention a display device comprises a receptacle having a base surface on which an item to be displayed can be positioned so that a top surface of the item may be observed by an observer from an observation position which is external of the receptacle; and at least one reflective surface extending from the base surface at an angle substantially 1350 relative thereto so that a viewer viewing the item from the observation position may view an image of a side of the item reflected to the observation position by the reflective surface.

Preferably, at least two reflective surfaces are provided each extending at

substantially 135 from the base surface to allow the observer simultaneously to view at least two different sides of the item.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the base surface is rectangular and four reflective surfaces are provided each extending at an angle of substantially 1350 from the base surface, each reflective surface being contiguous along one respective edge thereof with a respective corresponding edge of the base surface.

With the preferred embodiment of the invention which has a rectangular base and four reflective surfaces, an item to be displayed (for example a model) may be placed on the base surface and observed from the observation position. An observer will be able to view directly the top of the item, and will simultaneously be able to view the front, the rear and both sides of the item by virtue of the images reflected by the reflective surfaces.

Preferably, the receptacle is closed by a clear transparent sheet whereby the receptacle and the sheet form a container in which the item is enclosed.

The invention may be embodied as a wall mounted display (in which case the base surface will, in use, be substantially vertical) or as a horizontally mounted display (in which case the base surface will, in use, be substantially horizontal). A horizontal version of the invention may conveniently be embodied as a table.

The above and further features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure I is a transverse cross-sectional view of a receptacle for use in forming an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the receptacle of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows a rectangular frame which may be used to secure a cover sheet to the receptacle of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a partial cross-section through the embodiment of Figure 4;

Figure 6 and Figure 7 show the shape of reflective elements for use in the embodiment of Figure 4 : and Figure 8 illustrates a transparent sheet for use in connection with the embodiment of Figure 4.

Referring firstly to Figure 4, there is shown a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of display device 1 in accordance with the present invention. The display device comprises a base surface 2 upon which an item to be displayed can be positioned. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the base surface 2 is rectangular. A rectangular shape will be appropriate for many items to be displayed.

It will be appreciated, however, that the shape of the base surface 2 will, in general, be optimised for the particular item to be displayed. For example, if the item to be displayed is cubic the base surface 2 will be square. If the item to be displayed is triangular in horizontal cross-section it is possible that the base surface 2 could be made triangular. All such variations are within the scope of the present invention.

A reflective surface 3,4, 5,6 is provided extending from each edge 7,8, 9,10 respectively of the base surface 2. The base surface 2 and each of the reflective surfaces 3-6 are substantially planar and the plane of each reflective surface 3-6 forms an included angle of substantially 135 with the plane of the base surface 2. As a result, the base surface 2 and reflective surfaces 3-6 together form a receptacle for receiving an item to be displayed. The reflective surfaces 3 and 4 meet at a valley 11; the reflective surfaces 4 and 5 meet at a valley 12; the reflective surfaces 5 and 6 meet at a valley 13; and the reflective surfaces 6 and 3 meet at a valley 14.

The reflective surfaces 3-6 are preferably formed by securing trapezoidal portions of mirror to a suitable underlying surface. Mirrors having the form illustrated at 15 in Figure 6 may be used to provide the reflective surfaces 4 and 6 and mirrors having the form 16 shown in Figure 7 may be used to provide the reflective surfaces 3 and 5. The base surface 2 may itself be reflective but in the preferred embodiment of the invention the base surface 2 is non-reflective and is coloured and textured to provide an aesthetically pleasing background to the item to be displayed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is formed by securing the mirrors 15,16 to a receptacle 17 moulded from plastics material. The receptacle 17 is shown in plan view in Figure 2 and in cross-sectional view in Figure 1. The receptacle 17 may be made of any suitable material by any suitable moulding process. The receptacle itself defines the base surface 2 and defines sloping surfaces 18-21 to which mirrors are secured to form the reflective surfaces 3-6 respectively. Preferably, the receptacle is, in use, closed by means of a sheet 22 of suitable clear material (for example glass or a plastics material) which is received within a rabbet 23 provided in the upper surface of the receptacle 17. The sheet 22 is preferably held in position by a trim 24 which again may be formed of any suitable material (for example plastics or metal) by any suitable process. The trim 24 may, if desired, have a suitable decorative surface.

In use, an article to be displayed (for example a model) is placed centrally on the base surface 2. In general, it will be desirable for the item to be displayed to be retained in position by suitable means, for example adhesive. The transparent sheet 22 is then placed in position and the trim 24 located to retain the sheet in position.

The trim 24 is preferably secured to the receptacle 17 by suitable means, for example by means of a snap-fit, or adhesive or welding. The entire display device is then placed at the required location. It will be appreciated by reference to Figure 4 that when the item is viewed at a suitable distance (typically about 1m) and from directly in front of the base surface 2, the top of the item will be directly visible from the observation position. One end of the item will be visible as an image reflected in the reflective surface 3 and the opposite end of the item will be visible as an image reflected in the reflective surface 5. Similarly, one side of the item will be visible as an image reflected in the reflective surface 4 and the other side of the item will be visible as an image reflected in the reflective surface 6. Thus, from the observation point the top of the item, both ends and both sides will be visible.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the display device described above may be used horizontally or at any other angle. When used in a

horizontal mode. the display device may form the top surface of a table or may form a feature within the top surface of a table. When used vertically, the display device may be positioned on a wall or may be partially or totally recessed into the wall.

Claims

1. A display device comprising-a receptacle having a base surface on which an item to be displayed can be positioned so that a top surface of the item may be observed by an observer from an observation position which is external of the receptacle; and at least one reflective surface extending from the base surface at an angle substantially 1350 relative thereto so that a viewer viewing the item from the observation position may view an image of a side of the item reflected to the observation position by the reflective surface.

2. A display device according to claim 1 wherein at least two reflective surfaces are provided each extending at substantially 135 from the base surface to allow the observer simultaneously to view at least two different sides of the item.

3. A display device according to claim I wherein the base surface is rectangular and four reflective surfaces are provided each extending at an angle of substantially 135'from the base surface, each reflective surface being contiguous along one respective edge thereof with a respective corresponding edge of the base surface.

4. A display device according to claim 3 wherein respective edges of each I p reflective surfaces are contiguous with respective edges of adjacent reflective surfaces.

5. A display device according to any preceding claim wherein the reflective surfaces are each trapezoidal.

6. A display device according to any preceding claim wherein the base surface is non-reflective.

7. A display device according to any preceding claim wherein the reflective surfaces are provided by securing mirrors to a plastics moulding.

8. A display device according to any preceding claim wherein the receptacle is closed by a clear transparent sheet whereby the receptacle and the sheet form a container in which the item is enclosed.

9. A display device according to any preceding claim wherein the device is embodied as a wall mounted display.

10. A display device according to any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the device is embodied as a horizontally mounted display, for a table.