GB2117547A - Display board and poster assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A display assembly comprises a support sheet 1 of plastics material having a front surface which is highly polished and glossy and in the embodiment described the sheet is black. Printed or painted onto the front surface are spaced lines 2 of ink which may etch or form slightly raised lines which, at normal viewing distances become "invisible" by merging into the background of the support sheet. The glossy surface of the support sheet 1 is adapted to receive components 4 of highly polished PVC made to adhere using light pressure applied thereto. These components are applied using the lines 2 as a guide and may comprise individual letters or numerals, or complete words. The background colour of the components 4 is the same as the sheet 1, that is black, with white lettering thereon. An overlay 5 is provided secured by a clip 7 and formed of transparent flexible plastics having a matt rear surface and a glossy front surface so that further components 6 can be adhered thereto to form a display on the overlay itself. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in display boards, posters and the like This invention relates to improvements in display boards, posters and the like such as those used in shops and other establishments wherein the prices of the various commodities are indicated for display to prospective purchasers. Display board devices of this kind are known and in one prior construction a number of letters or possibly words are moulded from plastics or metal and by pegs are temporarily secured to a backing board which may include some means to receive the pegs to retain the parts in position. It is also known to attach letters and wording by magnetic means but in these examples the board necessarily must be rigid and requires a certain thickness to accommodate the thickness of the attached letters and the like. These arrangements do, however, have the advantage of neatness and a pleasing appearance.

It is an object of this invention to provide a display device in the nature of a price board which is simple and cheap to construct and which incorporates letters or words which may be easily changed and also stored whereby the message or information displayed on the board can be readily altered but which nevertheless presents a neat and appealing display, having the characteristic of a printed poster or sign.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display assembly which may have a backing of a relatively thin rigid but nevertheless flexible material to provide for easy storage and which may be readily hung in a conspicuous position.

The use of components carrying printed matter or information and formed of a soft polished polyvinylchloride material having a self-adherent property in relation to the highly polished surface is well known, and when such components are used for price tickets the ticket generally includes a window or other part having an outline or border by which the component can be simply and easily aligned to provide a neat appearance. Hitherto, such a known arrangement has not been used for the purpose of providing a large area display board because even small irregularities in alignment of the letters provides an unsightly display and for best appearance it is required to display the whole of the lettering on a uniform background.

According to this invention there is provided a display assembly comprising a rigid support sheet having a smooth preferably highly polished and uniform appearance front surface and incorporating a series of invisible (as herein defined) lines defining regions for the adhesion to the support sheet of components carrying letters, words or the like and being preferably of a soft polished material exhibiting the property of adhering to the highly polished surface of the or else otherwise adherent to the sheet, the said lines providing an index system over the sheet surface to provide a reference for correct alignment and positioning of the components.

By "invisible" lines as used herein is meant lines which may be printed or painted on to the surface of the support sheet and which when viewed generally merge or blend in to the uniform background of the sheet so as to be unobtrusive and insignificant as compared with the lettering or wording carried by the components. In one preferred embodiment the lines are formed by screen printing on to the sheet using either a matt or gloss ink or paint which is laid down in such a way as to provide a slightly raised surface above or etched below the surface of lye sheet, this facilitating alignment of the components as they are placed into position. The lines might equally be of a transparent or translucent ink thereby allowing the natural background colour of the sheet to show through.The paint or ink used may be of a colour which is a relatively close match to the colour of the support sheet. The lines may be etched forming indentations in the surface by using an ink or paint which when applied etches into the surface of the sheet, the object being to facilitate alignment of the components.

The components preferably will comprise individual letters, numerals or complete words with a generally rectangular outline having an edge forming a commom datum to ensure uniform positioning in relation to the lines and having a background colour corresponding to the background colour of the sheet. The invisible lines will be laid down in a manner providing a spacing between adjacent lines being just greater than the width of the components, thereby facilitating alignment and positioning of components on the support sheet. The lines may be a simple parallel grid extending over the sheet or further lines may be provided to define vertical alignment. In an alternative embodiment the lines define zones or areas of differing size to accommodate components of different dimensions containing special wording applicable to particular zones on the sheet.

In an alternative aspect of this invention the sheet may be of a matt material as distinct from a highly polished surface and the components may incorporate on one surface thereof an adhesive material which may releasably adhere to the sheet.

The invention therefore provides a large area display sheet which is adapted to carry the various components on its surface which are placed in proper alignment or register utilizing the aforesaid invisible lines thereon.

In yet a further aspect of the invention the sheet itself may be provided with appropriate printing, for example it may contain a list of commodities applicable to a particular trade with the invisible lines being printed thereon to afford correct alignment of components for the addition of pricings to the display. The components can be the previously mentioned self-adherent highly polished material or a permanent adhesive may be used whereby a board can be made up for a particular purpose without the risk of the components adhered thereto being removed easily. On the other hand, the adhesive may allow the components to be of a semi-permanent nature or of a removable nature.

In a further embodiment some of the components may themselves comprise a background component to be adhered to the support sheet and which carries on the front surface thereof a further foreground component adhered thereto.

In order to protect the surface of the sheet after the various components have been adhered thereto an overlay may be provided which has a matt surface at least on the side coming into contact with the support sheet.

The purpose of the matt surface is to obviate the overlay sheet picking up the components and plucking them away from the surface of the support sheet by virtue of the inherent adhesion between the polished surface of the components and the surface of the overlay were it to be itself polished.

Examples of a display board system in accordance with the present invention are illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a portion of a display sheet with protective overlay sheet and in a side perspective view, Figure 2 shows a front view of a display sheet with the overlay sheet partially cutaway, and Figure 3 shows a front view of a further layout for the invisible lines of the board.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the display assembly depicted comprises a support sheet 1 of a relatively thin (1 mm) plastics material which is flexible but nevertheless rigid in the sense of being self-supporting and robust. The sheet has a front surface which is highly polished and glossy; this surface may be that of the sheet or a laminate applied thereto. In the embodiment described the sheet is black but any colour may, of course, be selected.

Printed or painted onto the front surface of the back sheet 1 are a number of parallel spaced lines 2 of ink which may be a transparent ink or black coloured ink or paint. The ink forms a slightly raised line or rib and is some 1 mm wide, as example, and at normal viewing distances becomes "invisible" by virtue of the line merging into the background of the support sheet.

The support sheet may also be printed with a line 3, or a border, of a coloured contrasting ink.

The glossy surface of the support sheet 1 is adapted to receive components 4 of a highly polished PVC material, which by virtue of the characteristics of the material may be made to adhere to the sheet 1 using light pressure applied thereto. These components are applied using the lines 2 as a guide, as illustrated in the drawings. The components may comprise individual letters or numerals, or also complete words may be displayed thereon. The background colour of the components 4 will be the same as the sheet 1, that is black, with white lettering thereon.

Thus the overall appearance, which cannot be appreciated from the drawings, will be one of a blackboard having white lettering thereon giving the look of a custom printed display, it being appreciated that neither the lines 2 nor the background of the components 4 are visible at normal viewing distance, these parts blending into the support sheet surface.

To protect the components adhering to the support sheet an overlay 5 is provided, this being a transparent flexible plastic material, the rear surface of which has a matt finish.

The purpose of this is to prevent the overlay possibly adhering to the components 4, whereby they might be plucked from their support sheet. The front surface of the overlay 5 may be also highly polished and further components 6 can be adhered thereto to form a display on the overlay itself.

The overlay 5 is conveniently secured to the top edge of the support sheet 1 by means of a clip member 7.

In an alternative arrangement iliustrated in Fig. 3 the "invisible" lines 3 are arranged to define non-uniform zones over the surface of support sheet 1, such as a large area 10 for a message and smaller zones 11 and 1 2 for other wording. Thus a complete display sign can be assembled again using the invisible lines for alignment and registration purposes.

The invention therefore provides for a poster-like display to be made up in a simple manner and having the appearance of being a single printed unit, but affording the opportunity of changing various parts as required.

The support sheet may include pre-printed messages thereon according to a particular trade and certain wording may be applied through permanent adhesive components, other wording being applied as components which are removable.

The clip member 7 will be provided with a means for hanging the assembly. Other attachment means are possible.

The overlay material may have the reverse side made matt by means of a varnish applied thereto or by a rolling process which polishes one side and makes the other side matt.

Claims (20)

1. A display assemblv comorisinq a riaid support sheet having a smooth and uniform appearance front surface and incorporating a series of invisible (as herein defined) lines defining regions for the adhesion to the support sheet of components carrying letters, words or the like and exhibiting the property of adhering to the surface of the sheet, the said lines providing an index system over the sheet surface to provide a reference for correct alignment and positioning of the components.

2. A display assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the support sheet has a highly polished front surface, the components being of a soft polished material exhibiting the property of adhering to the highly polished surface of the sheet.

3. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the sheet is of a matt material and the components incorporate on one surface thereof an adhesive material which may releasably adhere to the sheet.

4. A display assembly according to Claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the lines are formed by screen printing on to the sheet using either a matt or gloss ink or paint which is laid down in such a way as to provide a slightly raised surface above or etched below the surface of the sheet.

5. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the lines are of a transparent or translucent ink thereby allowing the natural background colour of the sheet to show through.

6. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim 1 to 4, wherein the paint or ink used is of a colour which is a close match to the colour of the support sheet.

7. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the lines are etched forming indentations in the surface by using an ink or paint which when applied etches into the surface of the sheet.

8. A display in accordance with any preceding Claim, wherein the components comprise individual letters, numerals or complete words with a generally rectangular outline having an edge forming a common datum to ensure uniform positioning in relation to the lines and having a background colour corresponding to the background colour of the sheet.

9. A display in accordance with Claim 8, wherein the invisible lines are laid down in a manner providing a spacing between adjacent lines which is just greater than the width of the components, thereby facilitating alignment and positioning of components on the support sheet.

1 0. A display in accordance with any preceeding Claim, wherein the lines are arranged in a parallel grid extending across the sheet.

11. A display in accordance with any preceding Claim 1 to 9, wherein the lines define zones or areas of differing size to accommodate components of different dimensions containing wording applicable to particular zones on the sheet.

1 2. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the sheet itself is provided with appropriate printing, the invisible lines being printed thereon to afford correct alignment of components for the addition of matter to supplement the display.

1 3. A display assembly according to Claim 12, wherein the components are self-adherent highly polished material or a permanent adhesive may be used whereby a board can be made up for a particular purpose without the components adhered thereto being removed easily.

14. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein the components may themselves comprise a background component to be adhered to the support sheet and which carries on the front surface thereof a further foreground component adhered thereto.

1 5. A display assembly according to any preceding Claim, wherein to protect the surface of the sheet after the various components have been adhered thereto an overlay is provided which has a matt surface at least on the side coming into contact with the support sheet, the matt surface preventing the overlay sheet picking up components and plucking them away from the surface of the support sheet.

1 6. A display assembly according to Claim 15, wherein the matt surface of the overlay sheet is produced by a rolling process.

1 7. A display assembly according to Claim 15, wherein the matt surface of the sheet comprises a matt finish varnish coating thereon.

18. A display assembly according to Claim 15, wherein the support sheet and overlay are connected together at one edge.

1 9. A display assembly according to Claim 17, wherein the connection comprises an elongate clip means incorporating a hanging device.

20. A display board assembly as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or 3 of the drawings.