The invention relates to a lockable menu board device and method. More particularly, it relates to menu board display devices having a plurality of rotatable multi-face displays having associated locking mechanisms to prevent unauthorized manipulation of the menu displays.
Outdoor signs and display devices are commonly in use for many purposes today, particularly for presenting advertising and promotional materials relative to various businesses. Quick-service restaurants in particular use signs on their premises adjacent to pathways leading to the restaurant or along their vehicle drive-through service lanes. The devices are used to display various menu items and/or to provide information and prices for consumers. In addition, seasonal promotions and other “specials” are often promoted by these devices.
Changes to the displayed information frequently need to be made due to advertising needs, customer demand, menu changes, pricing changes, or for other reasons. Because the items offered can change on short notice, it is desirable to have a display that can be easily changed and then locked back into position. It is also desirable to have a sign display with multiple sides, to allow changes in the display without having to install a new display unit.
It is also important for outdoor signs to have security procedures of some type so that the messages and pricing materials on the signs cannot be readily tampered with, vandalized or manipulated in an unauthorized manner. At the same time, it is also necessary to allow frequent and easy access to the displays by authorized personnel in order to change the promotional items or add additional current items. It would be desirable to have the displays be independently rotatable and independently lockable or cooperatively lockable, to allow greater flexibility in designing, changing and securing the display.
It is not uncommon for an outside agency, such as, for example, an unauthorized person or excessive wind, to move the rotatable sign. For example, a child or other person may reach through a car window and move the sign as the car is going through the drive-thru. The sign could also be moved by persons on foot or on bicycle, for example. The sign is especially at risk when the restaurant is closed, and there are fewer lights and no one is around to watch. Also, high winds (such as from severe weather) can occur and could move the sign out of place. Thus, a need exists for a device that prevents the rotation of the sign by people or other outside forces, but still allows authorized personnel to readily change the display.
It is desirable that the locking mechanism be readily accessible by authorized personnel, but not to others. For example, the locking mechanism can be hidden from plain sight by disguising its function or by hiding the locking mechanism inside or under the frame.
It is desirable to have the display panels organized in the menu board frame to maximize the viewing area. It is also desirable to align the displays to better attract the customers' attention and reduce glare. For example, the display panels can be generally flat, or have the ends angled slightly inward and forward.
The present invention provides an apparatus for displaying indicia. The display may be divided into a number of sections for displaying the indicia, such as advertisements, promotional material, or a menu. The apparatus for display includes a frame and a plurality of shafts mounted on the frame. The frame helps protect the displays from the weather and other outside forces.
Each display has a plurality of sides, and each side is paired for display at the same time with at least one side of at least one other display.
One or more quick release locks are attached to each display. The quick release lock only prevents the rotation of the display it is attached to. Preferably hidden from the customer, the quick release lock allows the rotation or changing of the displays. The quick release locks also help prevent unauthorized people or other outside people from changing or rotating the display out of the desired position.
The displays are rotatably mounted on each shaft, and rotate independently of the other displays. This allows greater flexibility in the rotation and changing of the displays. For example, some displays can be held in place while others are rotated during a display changeover (e.g., breakfast to lunch, lunch to dinner, dinner to late night). The independent displays may also be switched out with a new display.
The displays may have lights to enable the indicia to be more easily seen. For example, there could be a vertical or horizontal fluorescent light in each display. If the lights are inside the display, the displays should be made of partially transparent or translucent material so that light can pass through them. However, portions of the frame around the display may not be translucent or transparent to allow for contrast to attract a viewer's attention when it is dark.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as exemplifications of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
In one embodiment, the apparatus for display is a menu board 10, as seen in
Each triangular menu display 16a-e also has a locking mechanism which may be one of several types as described herein. For example, a quick release locking mechanism 34 may be provided that prevents the unauthorized rotation of triangular menu displays 16a-e by people or other outside forces. Each quick release locking mechanism 34 is dedicated to a specific one of displays 16a-e. Each quick release locking mechanism 34 will typically only be activated by authorized personnel at the proper time intervals for changing triangular menu displays 16a-e (e.g., for breakfast, lunch and dinner), and thus preferably each is located in a location that is unobtrusive and not readily visible to persons viewing menu board 10, as shown in
A locking hole is provided for each face of the display. Thus, for a three-sided triangular menu display 16, three locking holes 42 in display 16 would be provided, preferably spaced every 120 degrees. For a two-sided triangular display (not shown), two locking holes would be provided, preferably spaced every 180 degrees. For example, when it is time to change triangular menu display 16a, locking pin 40 is pulled out of locking hole 42 to allow triangular menu display 16a to be turned. A triangular menu display 16a is then rotated to the next desired position. Typically, each of triangular menu displays 16a-e is matched for a particular time period. Depending on the indicia or menu items, some triangular menu displays 16a-e may not be rotated for a different time period. After triangular menu display 16a is moved to the next desired position, locking pin 40 is put back in place to prevent undesired or unauthorized movement of triangular menu display 16a.
In one embodiment, there are five triangular menu displays 16a-e mounted on frame 14. Frame 14 can be secured by a suitable support, in this case a tubular support 46 anchored in or to the ground and may rest on a foundation 48. Tubular support 46 can be further secured by a foundation 48 made of concrete or other suitable materials. In one example pictured in
As shown in
For this embodiment, triangular menu displays 16a-e can be made of an aluminum extrusion triangular frame rotatably mounted on shafts 18a-e. As seen in
As seen in
As seen in
Indicia 30 can be in any human-readable form able to communicate information to a customer or other observer. For example, indicia 30 can include character indicia 70, graphical indicia 72, or combinations thereof, as seen in
As seen in
Displays 16a-e that need to be rotated at this time are rotated to the desired position. After the desired displays are changed, the independent locks of the changed displays are re-engaged to prevent rotation of the displays. After the desired time interval has passed, the process begins again. For example, the process could be done continuously for a 24-hour restaurant. However, in general the process will end when the business closes. Preferably, all of the locks will be engaged when the business is closed to prevent tampering or undesired rotation by people, weather or other outside forces.
Referring to
Menu board device 100 includes locking mechanisms 108a and 108b that are suitable for locking a single one of triangular menu displays 16a-e, such as triangular menu displays 16a and 16e, or a plurality of menu displays 16b-d. Locking mechanisms 108a and 108b are positive locking mechanisms that when in a locked position prevent rotation of menu displays 16a-e, such as illustrated in
Locking mechanism 108a as illustrated is composed of opposed locking tabs 110 and 112 for each of triangular menu displays 16b-d mounted in a spaced relation on an arm 114. The spaced relation defines a gap 116 in which a triangular corner 118b-d of each of triangular menu displays 16b-d, respectively, is disposed when triangular menu displays 16b-d are in a locked position for displaying side 26c of triangular menu displays 16b-d as shown in
Arm 114 is mounted for pivotal movement about pins 120 with respect to frame 14 and triangular menu displays 16b-d by support members 115. Support members 115 may be J-shaped to allow pins 120 to be disposed therein as shown in
Each of opposed locking tabs 110, 112 is secured to arm 114, 114′ in any suitable manner, such as by rivets 123, nuts and bolts, screws, adhesive or they may be formed as an integral part of arms 114 and 114′, for example.
Each of opposed locking tabs 110, 112 is configured in the illustrated embodiment as an inclined ramp 122 with the upper portion 124 of the ramp terminating at gap 116. Arms 114 and 114′ may be rigid or can have some flexibility so that the corner of triangular corners 118a-e can initially contact a lower portion 126 of respective inclined ramp 122 and traverse ramp 122 until the respective triangular corner 118a-e is located within gap 116. Respective arms 114, 114′ can flex away from triangular corners 118a-e to permit such traverse. Alternatively, arms 114, 114′ can be mounted to pins 120 to permit some lateral movement and traverse of corners 118a-e along respective ramp 122. When a respective one of triangular corners 118a-e clears the top of ramp 122 it can abruptly fall into gap 116 and give an audible and tactile indication of being locked in position.
While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous changes, modifications and rearrangements and such changes, modifications and rearrangements are intended to be covered by the following claims.