Patent Application
20190371212
Displays comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, or display modules, are used for the display of information. In some applications, such as digital billboards or scoreboards, individual display modules can be connected together and operated collectively to form a larger display. The larger display can be hung from a support structure, such as the ceiling of a building or a support beam, to provide a display with the appearance of an overhanging banner, often referred to as a banner display.
A banner display system can in include a plurality display modules that are hung from a support structure with one or more supporting tension members, such as one or more cables or chains. The plurality of display modules are mounted to a mounting structure comprising one or more supporting structures. In an example, each of the one or more supporting structures is a composite member, such as a composite sandwich panel comprising a honeycomb-like core and one or more surface sheets coupled to the core. The composite member can be made to have a relatively low weight that can allow the banner display to be hung from a support structure.
This summary is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the invention. The detailed description is included to provide further information about the present patent application.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.
In the following Detailed Description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which form a part hereof. The drawings show, by way of illustration, examples of banner displays and examples of systems for hanging a banner display to a support structure, such as the ceiling of a building or a support beam. The examples are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice, and it is to be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and that changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following Detailed Description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
In an example, the banner display 10 is connected to the support 2 and is hung from the support 2 by one or more tension members 24 that are coupled to the support 2 and to the banner display 10 in order to support the banner display 10 from the support 2. In an example, each tension member 24 is a mechanical structure with a length in a vertical direction (e.g., up and down in
The display modules 12 are configured to display one or more of video, graphical, or textual information. For this reason, the display modules 12 may also be referred to herein as “video display modules” or “graphical display modules” and the banner display 10 may be referred to as a “video display” or a “graphical display.” In an example, each display module 12 includes a plurality of light-emitting elements 26 coupled to a front face 28 of the display module 12. The light-emitting elements 26 are positioned on the front faces 26 of the display modules 12 and the light-emitting elements 26 are operated in such a way so that the display modules 12 display the video, graphical, or textual information to someone who is viewing the banner display 10.
The light-emitting elements 26 can be any type of light-emitting technology known or yet to be discovered for the display of visual information, such as video, graphical, or textual information. At the time of filing of the present application, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are one of the most common light-emitting technologies in use for video or graphical displays of the type described herein. As such, for the sake of brevity, the light-emitting elements 26 will be referred to as LEDs 26 throughout the present disclosure. However, it will be understood that any time the following description uses the term “light-emitting diode” or “LED,” that light-emitting devices other than LEDs can be used, including, but not limited to, liquid crystal display devices (LCDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs), surface-conduction electron-emitter display devices (SEDs), field-emission display devices (FEDs), laser TV quantum dot liquid crystal display devices (QD-LCDs), quantum dot light-emitting diode display devices (QD-LEDs), ferro-liquid display devices (FLDs), and thick-film dielectric electroluminescent devices (TDELs).
In an example, the LEDs 26 are arranged into an array of pixels 30, e.g., with each pixel including one or more LEDs 26 grouped together in close proximity. The LEDs 26 and the pixels 30 are only shown on one display module 12 in
In an example, multiple LEDs 26 are positioned together at each pixel 30. In some examples, the plurality of LEDs 26 include a plurality of different-colored LEDs 26 such that different-colored LEDs 26 of each pixel 30 can be cooperate to display what appears to be a spectrum of different colors for the viewer of the banner display 10. In an example, each pixel 30 includes a red LED 26, a green LED 26, and a blue LED 26, wherein the red, green, and blue LEDs of each pixel 30 cooperate to provide essentially the entire color spectrum that is visible to humans based on whether one, two, or all three of the LEDs 26 in a pixel 30 are lit and at what intensities. The front face 20 can also provide a black or empty looking surface over a portion of the display, when desired, by deactivating or turning off the LEDs in a particular pixel 30.
In an example, the plurality of display modules 12 are mounted to the mounting structure 20 such that adjacent display modules 12 are in close proximity to one other and the plurality of display modules 12 are operated together in such a way as to display the video, graphical, or textual information in a cohesive manner so that the entire banner display 10 appears to a viewer as a single display that is larger than the individual display modules 12. In an example, the pixels 30 are arranged in a grid-like array, such as a grid comprising a specified number of rows and a specified number of columns of the pixels 30. The banner display 10 can be controlled, for example with control software and/or one or more hardware controllers, so that visual information, e.g., video, graphical, or textual information, is broken down into coordinates. Each coordinate can correspond to a specific pixel location within the overall banner display 10, and the control software and/or the one or more hardware controllers can operate each pixel according to a program that specifies a condition for each coordinate within the image and controls each of the pixels 30 so that it will appear to emit light that meets condition specified. For example, if the banner display 10 is displaying a video or animation, the control software and/or the one or more hardware controllers can be fed the data corresponding to the video or animation, and the control software and/or the one or more hardware controllers can break the video or animation data down into conditions for each pixel 30, such as the time within the video or animation, the color that a pixel 30 is to display at that time and the intensity of the pixel 30 at that time. The control software and/or the one or more hardware controllers can also convert the information regarding color and intensity into specific operating parameters for each LED 26 in a particular pixel 30, such as the power that will be supplied to the red LED 26, the blue LED 26, and the green LED 26 in that pixel 30 and for how long in order to achieve the specified color and intensity at the specified time. The control software and/or the one or more hardware controllers can then send control signals to the pixels 30 or to individual LEDs 26 that can operate the pixels 30 according to the video or animation. Although a grid or grid-like array of LED pixels, as summarized above, is common for video banner displays, the banner display 10 described herein can use other arrangements of the LEDs 26 or other systems for addressing the LEDs 26 can be used without varying from the scope of the present invention.
In an example, the banner display 10 is configured so that visual information can be displayed from more than one side of the banner display 10. The example banner display 10 shown in
Because the banner display 10 is being hung from the support 2 by the one or more cables 24, it is advantageous for the overall weight of the banner display 10 to be reduced as much as is possible so that the banner display 10 does not exceed the weight limit that the support 2 or the cables 24 are capable of carrying. For example, in some applications, the banner display 10 is configured to hang from a ceiling of a public place, such as a shopping mall or train station, such that people will be walking under the banner display 10 regularly. For this reason, it is desirable for the manufacturer of the banner display 10 to make each of the components of the banner display 10 to be as light as possible so that the overall weight of the banner display 10 is lower than a typical weight specification for a ceiling structure, and preferably much lower than the weight specification. Some manufacturers have attempted to achieve the goal of reduced weight by removing structures from the support cabinet to which the display modules are mounted. However, the reduced-weight support cabinets tend to have less structural integrity or are less visually appealing. In particular, because the banner displays described in the present disclosure are designed to hang from a support structure, this removal of structures or material from the support cabinet, and the corresponding reduction in structural integrity, can allow gravity to more easily pull the display modules apart, resulting in the formation of undesirable and prominent visual seams.
As noted above, the display modules 12 of the front display surface 32 and the rear display surface 34 are mounted onto the mounting structure 20. The mounting structure 20 of the present disclosure is particularly designed and adapted to allow for a reduced and more optimized weight for the banner display 10 while still providing sufficient structural integrity to support the display modules 12 and minimize the appearance of visual seams in the display surfaces 32, 34.
As is also noted above, the mounting structure 20 includes one or more structural members 22 for supporting the display modules 12. The one or more structural members 22 provide one or more structures for the display modules 12 to be mounted to and one or more structures for connection to the one or more cables 24. In some examples, the support structure 20 comprises a single structural member 22 that provides one or more connection points for each of the display modules 12 in the banner display 10 and one or more connection points for each cable 24. For example, the display modules 12 of the front display surface 32 can be mounted onto a first, or front face 34 of the structural member 22 (or onto the front faces 34 if there are a plurality of structural members 22), while the display modules 12 of the rear display surface 34 can be mounted onto a second, or rear, face 36 of the structural member 22 (or onto the front faces 36 if there are a plurality of structural members 22). In an example, the display modules 12 are mounted to the one or more structural members 22 with a plurality of fasteners 40, such as a first set of fasteners 40 that mount each of the display modules 12 on the front display surface 32 and a second set of fasteners 40 that mount each of the display modules 12 on the rear display surface 34. The fasteners 40 can be spaced at regular intervals and positioned at specified positions relative to the mounting structure 20 and the display modules 12 to provide substantially uniform support of each of the display modules 12 of the banner display 10.
In the example shown in
In an example, the one or more structural members 22 are made from relatively light-weight materials, or that have a relatively low profile, or both. As used herein, the term “low profile,” when referring to the mounting structure 20, can refer to the mounting structure 20 have a relatively small size, especially compared to more conventional support cabinet that are made from a frame onto which display modules are mounted. For example, as shown in
In an example, each of the one or more structural members 22 is made from a composite material that is constructed to provide for one or more of these material properties. As used herein, the term “composite material” can refer to a structure that comprising more than one component that work together to provide for one or more improved properties of the overall composite material compared to the same one or more properties in each of the components that make up the composite material. As used herein, the term “components,” when referring to a components of a composite material, can refer to different materials or different types of materials that are combined to form the composite material or can refer to different physical structures that might be made of the same material or type of material and are combined in close physical proximity to form the composite material. In some examples, the components of the composite material can cooperate in a synergistic manner. For example, a first component of the composite material can possess one or more desired first properties (e.g., a desired value for one or more first mechanical properties) and a second component of the composite material can possess one or more desired second properties (e.g., a desired value for one or more second mechanical properties). But, by itself, the first component might not possess a sufficient value with respect to the one or more second properties (e.g., the first component might have too high or too low of a value with respect to a second mechanical property). Similarly, by itself, the second component might not possess a sufficient value with respect to the one or more first properties (e.g., the second component might have too high or too low of a value with respect to a first mechanical property). In some examples, however, when the first component and the second component are combined, the resulting composite material can have values of the one or more first properties that are acceptable because of the presence of the first component (even though the second component, by itself, does not) and can have values of the one or more second properties that are acceptable because of the presence of the second component (even though the first component, by itself, does not). In this way, the components of the composite material can, in some examples, contribute to the overall composite material being within a desired specification with respect to several specific properties (such as two or more mechanical properties).
Because the one or more structural members 22 are, in some examples, made from a composite material, the one or more structural members 22 of the mounting structure 20 will also be referred to herein as one or more “composite members 22.” It will be understood that in instances where a structure is referred to as a “composite member” (whether referring specifically to the composite members 22 or to another composite member) that it may be possible in other embodiments to use a structural member that is not made from a composite material without varying from the scope of the present invention.
In some examples, the components that make up a composite member 22 are made from one or more light-weight materials that are structurally configured so that, overall, the composite member 22 will possess sufficient tensile strength in the vertical direction V (
In an example, each of the one or more composite members 22 comprises a sandwich structure or sandwich panel.
The surface sheets 56, 58 provide surfaces onto which the display modules can be mounted to form the display surfaces. For example, the first surface sheet 56 can provide a first face for mounting display modules that will make up a first display surface (e.g., the front face 36 of the mounting structure 20 for display modules 12 of the front display surface 32) and the second surface sheet 58 can provide a second face for mounting display modules that will make up a second display surface (e.g., the rear face 38 of the mounting structure 20 for display modules 12 of the rear display surface 34). In an example, both the walls that form the cells 54 and the surface sheets 56, 58 are formed from a light and strong material, such as aluminum. In an example, both the walls of the cells 54 and the surface sheets 56, 58 comprise aluminum.
In an example, each of the generally cylindrical cells 54 of the core 52 extend in an axial direction A that is normal or substantially close to be normal relative to the plane P of the overall sandwich panel 50, as shown in
In an example, the plurality of cells 54 form a regular geometric pattern that fits together in close proximity. For example, the example cells 54 shown in
The honeycomb core 52 and the surface sheets 56, 58 can work together to provide for structural integrity in multiple directions within the honeycomb sandwich panel 50. For example, the honeycomb cells 54 provide for substantial strength in the axial direction A for each of the honeycomb cells 54. As described above, the axial direction A is parallel to the z-axis 8 of the honeycomb sandwich panel 50. The combination of the honeycomb structure of the cells 54 and the arrangement of the cells 54 in close proximity and throughout substantially the entire surface area of the honeycomb care 52 results in the honeycomb sandwich panel 50 having a high rigidity or stiffness in the z-direction. Also, the combination of the honeycomb cells 54 being oriented to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of the plane P of the honeycomb sandwich panel 50, along with the surface sheets 56, 58 being planar or substantially planar in the direction of the plane P results in the plurality of honeycomb cells 54 and the surface sheets 56, 58 providing substantial tensile strength in the x-direction and in the y-direction, which corresponds to the vertical direction V when the honeycomb sandwich panel 50 is used to form the one or more composite members 22 of the mounting structure 20 (see
Returning to
As shown in
Although the example banner display 10 described, herein is a basic two-sided banner display with generally opposed displays, such as the front display surface 32 and the rear display surface 34 formed from a plurality of the display modules 12 described above, a banner display in accordance with the present disclosure can include other overall geometries, including more or fewer display surfaces than the front and rear display surfaces 32, 34 described above, with one or more of the display surfaces being mounted to a mounting structure comprising one or more composite structures similar or identical to the mounting structure 20 described above. For example, a banner display can include one, three, four, five, or more display surfaces where the display modules of each of the display surfaces of the banner display can be mounted to one or more mounting structures each comprising one or more composite structures similar or identical to the mounting structure 20 comprising one or more composite members 22 (e.g., the honeycomb composite sandwich panel 50).
The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples.” Such examples can include elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the present inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.
In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and any documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in this document controls.
In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as examples or embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/446,179, filed on Jan. 13, 2017, entitled “COMPOSITE MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR A BANNER DISPLAY,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2018/013605 | 1/12/2018 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62446179 | Jan 2017 | US |
