This invention relates to signage, and more particularly to mounting and tensioning planar signs on surfaces such as the sides of trucks.
There is disclosed in published international patent application WO 03/060333A2, titled Sign and Awning Attachment System and Method of Use, an attachment and tensioning system for a planar structure, such as a vinyl sign or other flexible sheet, such as canvas. The edges of the sheet, which is generally rectangular, are provided with a sewn-in bead which cooperates with other members of an attachment and tensioning system that includes a fixed frame comprised of horizontal and vertical rails. The top horizontal bead and one vertical bead are inserted into fixed rails. The bottom horizontal bead and the remaining vertical bead are inserted into translatable or “floating” rails that in turn connect to adjacent fixed rails by levering means. All rails can be aluminum extrusions. The fixed rails can be attached to a vertical side or door of a truck intended to carry a sign. The system permits signs to be installed and removed without damage, so that a sign can be reused at a future date.
Large signs suitable for truck advertising may typically be in the order of eight feet (2.7 m) high and anywhere from 10 feet to 50 feet (3 to 18 m) wide, printed on vinyl sheets using large, one-pass or multiple-pass ink-jet printers such as the Ultra View 3360 printer (VUTek, Inc., Merideth, N.H., U.S.A.) Beading or “Keeder” is sewn into the edges to prepare the sign for mounting. This is a labor-intensive operation requiring care. The spacing of the opposing beading or “keeder” needs to be set for each signage sheet to within about one-half inch (1.2 cm) tolerance. Because large flexible sheets have a tendency to stretch by a variable amount during printing, sheets are individually beaded to stay within tolerance, which adds considerable cost. Also, beading mistakes are difficult, or in some cases not possible, to rectify.
An aspect of this invention is a beadless attachment and tensioning system employing the type of tensioning means disclosed in published patent application WO 03/06033A2.
Another aspect of this invention is a sign mounting and tensioning apparatus that includes for at least the top sign edge and one vertical sign edge, and preferably also for the bottom edge and remaining vertical edge, elongated flexible but cross sectionally shape-retaining inserts and cooperating elongated locks, whereby sign edges can be wrapped around the inserts, and the wrapped inserts can be removably inserted into the locks such that the inserts do not rotate and the sign edges are secured from slipping out of the locks when the sign is tensioned; fixed frame rails securable to a mounting surface into which the locks containing wrapped top sign edge and one vertical sign edge can be inserted such that the locks do not rotate; and tensioning means for connecting the bottom sign edge and remaining vertical sign edge to fixed mounting means, securable to the mounting surface, such that the sign can be tensioned and secured over the mounting surface, such as a side of a truck or trailer.
Another aspect of this invention is the inclusion in the foregoing apparatus of floating rails for the bottom and remaining vertical side of the sign into which locks containing wrapped sign edges, as described above, can be inserted such that the locks do not rotate, and a plurality of mounting-tensioning units each comprising a mounting portion securable to the mounting surface and a levering tensioning mechanism connectable thereto and to a floating rail.
Yet another aspect of this invention is a method for removably mounting a flexible signage sheet utilizing the above-described apparatus comprising the steps of wrapping the sign edges around inserts, reversibly locking the wrapped inserts into the elongated locks, removably inserting locks containing the wrapped sign edges into the top and vertical rails affixed to a surface and into the bottom and vertical floating rails, removably connecting the floating rails to mounting means affixed to the surface by tensioning means, preferably levering tensioning units, and reversibly tensioning the sign by means of the tensioning means.
Yet another aspect of this invention is a system comprising a flexible sheet sign mounted and tensioned in the apparatus described above.
This invention includes mounting and stretching apparatus for large rectangularly shaped signs that does not require beaded edges on the sign to attach it to frame members. Rather, apparatus according to this invention can accommodate signs having plain edges. Apparatus according to this invention includes fixed frame members that can be fixedly attached to a surface such as a side of a vehicle, as by riveting, bolting, welding or other suitably secure means. As used in this application, “sign” means a flexible sheet, for example a vinyl sheet or a canvas sheet, bearing writing, printing, graphics, pictures, images or other visual communication; “vehicle” is used in its broadest sense and includes, for example, automobiles, trucks, trailers, trains, airplanes and boats; and “surface” includes any structure on which a rectangular frame can be mounted such as, for example, a building wall, a window frame or a side of a vehicle.
At least two frame members, the top and one vertical side of a rectangular frame, are preferably continuous to facilitate lockingly mounting a plain edge sign. They are formed of continuous metal extrusions, preferably aluminum. They may be one-piece or they may be of multiple sections to achieve the length needed. Plain edges of signs are removably locked in these frame members, or “rails”, as will be described. For mounting on a lateral side or top of a vehicle, such as a truck or trailer, it is preferable that the forward vertical sign edge be locked in a continuous rail to prevent wind from having access to the underside of the sign.
A sign fixedly mounted in the foregoing perpendicular rails is then tensioned and releasably secured over the generally planar surface to which the sign is to be applied. This can be achieved by any suitable means. A preferred embodiment utilizes “floating rails,” that is, rails similar to the first two rails except not fixedly attached to the surface on which a sign is being mounted. While preferable, it is not required that the floating rails be continuous. To tension a sign locked in perpendicular fixed rails and opposite floating rails and secure it to the surface, each floating rail is pulled outwardly and releasably attached to mounting means affixed to the surface. Such mounting means may be an outer fixed rail, which may be continuous in one or more sections but preferably is discontinuous to save material. Edges of the sign itself or preferably floating rails may be reversibly pulled toward the mounting means and releasably secured thereto with rope or self-locking plastic ties. A preferred embodiment includes lockable levering means to tensioningly connect each floating rail to an outer fixed rail. Most preferably the levering means are discontinuous, but they could be continuous as disclosed in published patent application WO 03/06033A2.
Other, less preferred embodiments include simple studs, D-rings or hooks in place of the outer fixed rail or rail portions for employment of tie-downs, which might or might not be elastic. Tie downs such as self-locking plastic ties, commonly referred to as “zip ties”, could be passed through holes drilled in a floating rail (preferably including plastic grommets to protect the ties) or hook onto a floating rail or loop over a protrusion on a floating rail to permit the floating rail to be cinched down. It is even possible to dispense with the floating rails by adding grommets to a sign edge or edges to accommodate tie downs.
Locking unbeaded sign edges into fixed rails and floating rails includes a locking insert around which a sign edge can be wrapped before insertion. The rail is provided with a recess running along its length. Preferably the recess is provided with a plastic liner to protect the sign. More preferably this liner serves as a lock to prevent the sign edge from pulling away from the rail by pressure and friction. The recess is shaped to receive an insert in a non-rotating fashion to lock in place a sign edge wrapped around the insert, thereby permitting tension to be applied to the sign.
Preferred embodiments include a plastic lock that snaps over the insert and engages a wrapped sign edge to prevent it from slipping, and that slides easily into the recess or snaps into the recess in a non-rotating fashion.
This invention includes a method for mounting and tensioning an unbeaded, plain-edged planar sign, generally a rectangular sign, comprising fixedly securing to the surface to be covered perpendicular substantially continuous fixed rails for the top and one vertical side, and fixed rails, preferably discontinuous, or post or other means below and outside the remaining sign edges to which tensioning means may be anchored; clamping the sign into elongated, non-rotating locking mechanisms that prevents the sign edge from slipping out when tension is applied; inserting the locking mechanisms, including clamped sign edges, into substantially sign-wide, preferably continuous, mounting recesses in the top rail and vertical rail, and tensioningly securing the bottom and remaining vertical edge of the sign to the anchoring means.
Preferred embodiments of methods according to this invention include tensioning the sign by securing the bottom and remaining vertical sign edges to substantially sign-wide, preferably continuous, floating rails in the manner described above for the top rail, and camming the floating rails downwardly and outwardly toward fixed anchoring rails to tension the sign in both the horizontal and vertical directions, wherein the anchoring rails are preferably discontinuous sections spaced along the surface to be covered, and reversibly locking the tensioning mechanism.
This invention also includes signage including a flexible printed sheet, preferably vinyl, mounted and tensioned in framing apparatus as described above.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Opposite beaded top edge 64 is beaded bottom edge 66, which is introduceable into an open section of floating rail 70, which is not attached to the surface of the object 61, but is free floating and spans the length of the side (here the bottom) of the image. Tension can be applied to planar structure 63 normal to beads 64, 66 by a frame-wide tensioning lever arm 71. One side 72 of tensioning arm 71 is coupled to the moveable rail 70 via a coupling 73 that receives one side of the tensioning lever arm 71. The other side 74 of tensioning lever arm 71 is coupled to one end of a frame-wide beam 75, which in turn is coupled via, for example, an open trough, to lower frame-wide fixed rail 76 that is firmly attached to the surface of the object 61.
The image is tensioned when the cam lever or tensioning arm 71 is closed, thereby pulling floating rail 70 away from top rail 62. Tensioning lever arm 71 pivotally rotates within the coupling 73 of floating rail 70. Pivotal rotation of tensioning lever arm 71 causes pivotal rotation of the beam 75 about both the coupling 77 of the tensioning lever arm 71 and the coupling of lower fixed rail 76. Once the lower side 74 of tensioning lever arm 71 passes over the center of the beam 75, tensioning lever arm 71 becomes locked in a tensioned position and the planar surface 63 is in “the drum taught position.” To secure the frame-wide levering arm in its locked, tensioning position, end caps are applied and secured to the truck or other surface.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, different cross-sectional shapes for an insert 10, lock 20 and cooperating rail recess 44 could be utilized. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
This application is a national phase filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of international application No. PCT/US2005/024964, filed Jul. 14, 2005, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 60/588,695 filed Jul. 15, 2004. The disclosures of the prior applications are considered part of (and are incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2005/024964 | 7/14/2005 | WO | 00 | 11/30/2007 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2006/019895 | 2/23/2006 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20080086923 A1 | Apr 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60588695 | Jul 2004 | US |