Patent Application
20100263245
Display boards are a handy way to convey a message or information, draw out or illustrate concepts and ideas. Portable display boards have the advantage over their full sized counterparts in being transportable, conveniently allowing a user to take the board from place to place. Portable display boards have a significant drawback, namely that they must necessarily be smaller in order to be portable. Smaller boards while portable are less visible; making portable display hoards difficult to be viewed from a distance and ineffective in presenting information In a room full of people. A display board, which is portable, easy to transport and requires minimal storage space, while permitting a large surface would be an ideal tool for presenting information.
It is also known in the prior art to provide portable display and or presentation boards, examples of which can be seen in the following patents and applications.
5,131,448 issued July 1992 to Miller
5,388,382 issued February 1995 to Brooks
5,439,043 issued August 1998 to Carter
5,987,794 issued November 1999 to Lavi et al
6,523,288 issued Feb. 25, 2003 to Sacket
6,666,424 issued Dec. 23, 2003 to Richardson
6,941,691 issued September 2005 Arko et al
7,040,899 issued May 2006 Armstrong
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display board which overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing an elongated flexible display board which rolls away when not in use. The display board includes first and second elongated frame elements each having opposite, ends for supporting the flexible display hoard. The surface of the hoard consists of an elongated flexible sheet having a width, opposite first and second ends and a surface proportioned to be easily viewed. The first and second frame elements each having a length sufficient to span the width of the sheet.
The board includes an elongated roller attached to the first frame element and extending along the length of the first frame element. The first end of the flexible sheet being attached to the roller and the roller being dimensioned and configured to permit the sheet to be furled onto the roller. The second end of the flexible sheet is attached to the second frame element. The board also includes a lockable recoil mechanism coupled to the roller for permitting the roller to unfurl the sheet front the roller when the first and second frame elements are pulled apart from one another, the recoil mechanism being adapted and configured to bold the sheet in the unfurled position when the mechanism is locked, the recoil mechanism being further configured to automatically re-furl the sheet when the lock is released. Furthermore, the first and second frame elements being dimensional and configured to house the roller and sheet when the sheet is fully furled onto the roller.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
Referring firstly to
Referring to
Sheet 12 has opposite ends 17 and 19. End 17 of sheet 12 is attached roller 18 which is connected to frame element 14 along it's length by means known generally in the arts as brackets 29 and 31 which allow the roller to rotate about its long axis. Frame element 14 is preferably an angular member having a “L” shaped profile with walls 20 and 22 at right angle to each other. Walls 20 and 22 are dimensioned to be greater than the diameter of roller 18 with sheet 12 fully furled upon it. Frame element 14 has opposite ends 21 and 23. The length of frame element 14 between ends 21 and 23 is greater than the length of roller 18. Roller 18 is essentially a spring loaded roller as found in spring wound roller blinds. Roller 18 is sufficiently long to span the width of sheet 12. Sheet 12 is furled onto roller 18 such that surface 13 is oriented towards roller 18 so that the surface is protected as if is furled up. Roller 18 is spring loaded and biased to rotate in the direction necessary to roll up sheet 12 such that when the sheet is fully rolled tip. roller 18 is biased to roll up the sheet.
Framing element 16 is an angular member having a “L” shaped profile with walls 25 and 27 at right angle to each other. Walls 25 and 27 are dimensioned to allow roller 18 with sheet 12 fully furled upon it so be fully enclosed within framing elements 14 and 16 when they are brought together to form a protective housing. Frame element 16 has opposite ends 24 and 26. The length of frame element 16 between ends 24 and 26 is greater than the roller 18. Wall 25 of frame element 16 has attached to it a temporary connector 28 such as hook and loop (Velcro™) which allows the flexible sheet 12 to quickly be removed from frame element 16. End 19 of sheet 12 has attached to it along it's width on surface 15 a temporary connector 30 such as hook and loop (Velcro™) which is attached to the corresponding temporary fastener 28 On wall 25 of framing element 16.
Display board 10 includes a recoil mechanism tor automatically roiling up (furling) sheet 12 onto roller 18. Recoil mechanism preferably comprises a torsion spring 32 located inside roller 18 which is wound up as sheet 12 is unfurled from roller 18. When sheet 12 is released, torsion spring 32 will bias the roller 18 to rotate so as to furl sheet 12 onto the roller. The recoil mechanism preferably includes a lock mechanism having lock lever 34. The lock mechanism is operable between a locked state wherein roller 18 is locked in place and cannot rotate and an unlocked state wherein the roller 18 is free to rotate so as to furl or unfurl sheet 12. Engaging lever 34 between a locked position and an unlocked position places the lock mechanism in the locked or unlocked state, respectively. Preferably, lever 34 is spring biased towards its locked position such that it must be physically engaged in order to release the lock mechanism and permit the roller 18 to furl or unfurl sheet 12. The lock mechanism may comprise a simple spring loaded cam lock which locks roller 18 in place by means of a spring loaded cam which physically engages roller 18 with sufficient force to prevent the roller from turning.
To use writing board 10, lock lever 34 is engaged and frame elements 14 and 16 are moved apart to unfurl sheet 12. When the desired length of sheet 12 is unfurled, lock lever 34 is released causing roller 18 to be locked into place. Frame elements 14 and 16 secure the ends of sheet 12 so that the sheet remains flat. The angular (L shaped) profile of frame elements 14 and 16 prevent the frame elements from warping, ensuring that the sheet 12 remains flat. The user can then use the display board as required. When the user is ready to pack up the display board, lock lever 34 is engaged, releasing roller 18 which is biased to roll up to furl sheet 12 onto the roller 18. Frame elements 14 and 16 are brought together as illustrated in
Also, as better seen in
A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
