Patent Application
20150020362
This invention relates to temporary signage most particularly being banners, advertising flags and informational signs intended to be readily erected, removed and or relocated.
Advertising flags, banners and readily relocate able signage are becoming very popular. The advantage of this type of advertising is its relatively inexpensive costs as well as the benefit of having it where you want it, when you want it. Be it in front of a business promoting their products or services, on a golf course announcing tournament sponsors or at a festival promoting events, entertainment or dining establishments, the purpose is to convey direction and create public awareness.
Due to the recent advancements in the digital printing industry, materials such as fabrics, vinyls and specialized papers are now common place as advertising media both indoors and outdoors. Therefore the demand for temporary signage is in a pattern of steady and rapid growth.
Most temporary flag, banner or sign systems rely on the media being suspended from one or more upright poles or columns. These poles or columns are themselves commonly driven beneath the earths surface or may be slid over a rod or dowel inserted into the ground. The rod or dowel protrudes upward from the earth and may be a safety hazard once the pole or column has been removed.
This invention offers an alternative to the somewhat unsightly and even potentially dangerous rod or dowel protruding from the earth's surface. It also offers increased speed and simplicity when erecting and removing said advertising devices.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fast and simple method for installing and removing advertising devices.
It is a further object of the present invention to make advertising devices easy to relocate in order to receive the optimum results desired.
It is a further object of the present invention to make the display of such advertising devices safer to the general public.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a more safe and desirable system for landscape maintenance workers and their equipment.
A system or method allowing for easy erection and removal of advertising devices such as flags, banners or similar message conveying means comprising.
A receiving cylinder which may be used in ground or above ground.
A metal rod used to drive receiving cylinder into the earth.
A stand to which receiving cylinder attaches for above ground applications.
An extension to elevate advertising devices above obstacles such as plants, fences or snow.
An adaptor which is attached to advertising device and is compatible with receiving cylinder.
A cap to protect receiving cylinder from external contaminants such as precipitation or grass clippings.
An extraction device to remove receiving cylinder from the earth.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The core of the invention consists of a tubular or cylindrical sleeve 1,21 in which an adaptor 2 is inserted. The adaptor 2 is secured in the sleeve 1,21 by gravitational means and is releasable with upward force or pull. Adaptor 2 is attached to a pole, column or advertising media via mechanical means such as a threaded fastener, fusion or tie down using materials such as elastic, rope, chain or adjustable straps 16.
One method is that the cylindrical sleeve 21 is attached to an above ground stand 3 which may be suitable for indoors or outdoor use. The stand 3 receives the sleeve 21 via a mechanical thread 4. The stand 3 may be comprised of one piece or more commonly two or more components overlapping to create an X pattern offering ease of transport and increased stability. The stand 3 or one component of the stand 3 may support an internal threaded portion 15 to receive external thread 4 of sleeve 21. The stand 3 may also support a fastening system designed to anchor the stand 3 to the surface on which it rests. This may be accomplished by using a weighted device on the surface of the stand 3 or by anchoring the stand 3 by mechanical means such as a nail like fastener, bolts, pins or screws through anchor holes 17.
Another method which is primarily for use in an outdoor application is where the cylindrical sleeve 1 is inserted into the earth's surface to the point of being flush with the earth's surface or slightly below. The sleeve 1 may have a solid metal rod 5 attached to the hollow cylindrical sleeve 1 thus creating a bottom or end to the sleeve 1. Nearing the top portion of the sleeve 1 is a collar 6 which is attached to the outside of the cylindrical sleeve 1 creating a stopping point when driven into the earth. Atop the collar 6 is an internally threaded portion 7 which allows for the easy removal of the sleeve 1 from the earth.
The sleeve 1 is inserted into the earth using force such as a hammer which delivers its blow to a metal rod 8 having a head 9 with a size preferably twice or more in diameter than the rod 8 itself. The rod 8 is slightly longer than the hollow section of the sleeve 1 and imparts its force on the bottom surface 5 of the hollow portion of the sleeve 1. This protects the threaded portion 7 from the impact of the hammer avoiding any potential damage to the threaded portion 7.
With the collar 6 flush or slightly below the earth's surface the benefits is that there is no longer the unsightly rod or dowel protruding from the ground and there is no longer a safety hazard to children, pets or equipment such as a lawnmowers and ground maintenance equipment.
Another method is where the extension 22 is inserted into cylindrical sleeve 1,21 until coming to rest on the underside of the collar 23 with the hollow portion 24 extending upward allowing for the adaptor 2 to be inserted into hollow portion 24 hereby elevating the advertising device from the ground or stand overcoming obstacles such as flowerbeds, bushes, fences or snow also creating attraction from a greater distance through the additional height.
Another important component to this system is the cap which is placed into the threaded portion 7 of the sleeve 1, or resting atop of sleeve 21 when not in use supporting the advertising device.
The cap is a metal rod 10 slightly shorter than the hollow portion of the sleeve 1, 21 with a head 11 preferably larger in diameter than the threaded portion 7. This cap is secured into the sleeve 1, 21 by means of gravity using no mechanical fasteners. It is simply removed by an upward force or pulling action. The force required is more than caused by the upward draft created by lawn cutting equipment. The cap keeps the sleeve 1, 21 free of contaminants such as lawn clippings, loose dirt and precipitation which may cause the sleeve 1,21 to fill with ice or snow. The cap may also have threaded portion 14 attached to the head 11 allowing an upward attachment such as a threaded rod or wooden dowel making the sleeve 1,21 easier to locate should it become covered with fallen leaves or snow.
The removal of the sleeve 1 from the earth is accomplished using an extractor tee. Extractor tee comprises of an externally threaded metal rod 12 with a hollow cylinder 13 affixed to one end. The concept is to turn the threaded rod 12 into the internal threads 7 located atop of the collar 6. By inserting the metal rod 8 throughout the hollow cylinder 13 of the extractor tee the sleeve 1 will simply be extracted from the earth's surface by applying an upward force or pulling motion.
The adaptor 2 which inserts into the sleeve 1, 21, 24 is a solid or hollow rod cylinder in shape to which a pole, column or advertising media is attached. A collar 18 is attached to the outside of the adaptor 2 which will prevent the adaptor 2 from coming in contact with the bottom of the sleeve 1, 21 when inserted. The collar 18 may have a hold 19 in order to secure the advertising media pole or column with appropriate fastener 16. The adaptor 2 may also have a hole 20 allowing attachment to a pole or column. The collar 18 will rest on the top of the threaded portion 7 or atop of sleeve 21, 24 and will sit freely to allow for rotation 360 degrees without constraint. The adaptor 2 is attached to a pole, column or advertising media via mechanical means such as a threaded fastener, fusion or tie down using materials such as elastic, rope, chain or adjustable straps 16. Adaptor 2 may also be attached to pole or column via gravitational forces requiring no mechanical fasteners.
It is intended that the above description by interpreted in a illustrative rather than a restricted sense. Variations to the features described above may be apparent to those skilled in such structures without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims set out below.
