Wind responsive display device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6178673
  • Patent Number
    6,178,673
  • Date Filed
    Friday, July 23, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 30, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A wind responsive sign or placard for displaying advertising or other visual indicia includes a rotatable member that is attached to a stationary mounting member by a rod extending between the two members. Both the rotatable or spinning member and the stationary mounting member are formed of fluted or corrugated panels, and the axle rod extends into aligned flutes or channels in the two principal components. These panels are fabricated from extruded plastic panels of the type suitable for exterior use. The panel forming the mounting member is folded to form a three dimensional structure that is more rigid than the flat rotatable panel. The sign formed in this manner is relatively light in weight and can be assembled on site and can be mounted to a pole or post in an elevated position.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention is related to signs, signboards, placards, displays or posters that are used to convey informational or advertising messages and are used to display visual indicia of a promotional or informational nature. More particularly this invention is related to an exterior sign or placard that includes a movable component for attracting attention to the visual message located on the movable component as it is driven by exterior wind currents. This invention is also related to signs that are lightweight and portable and can be easily assembled on site an mounted at elevated locations on posts, poles or other surfaces.




2. Description of the Prior Art




Fluted or corrugated thermoplastic signs or signboards are commonly employed for advertising displays in exterior locations. These signs are typically fabricated from die cut panels that can be extruded. These panels have opposite planar exterior faces with internal transverse webs extending between the two spaced apart faces on which advertising, informational or other visual indicia can be screen printed or otherwise applied. The transverse webs provide rigidity to the panel in much the same way that corrugations impart rigidity to cardboard panels. However, the plastic material is more impervious to moisture and other environmental contaminants, and are therefore more suitable for exterior locations. Since the cross section of these fluted or corrugated plastic members does not change longitudinally, these panels can be inexpensively extruded from a thermoplastic. Examples of commercially available extruded thermoplastic fluted or corrugated panels of this type are those manufactured and sold using the trademarks COROPLAST® or POLYFLUTE® by Coroplast Inc., and those manufactured and sold using the trademark COR-X® by Primex Plastics Corp. Panels or sheets of this general type can be made of polypropylene, ABS, clear polyester, or other suitable thermoplastics.




Perhaps the most common use of fluted or corrugated panels or sheets of this type for exterior signs are the simple signs that include a single flat panel with stakes extending into the flutes or channels to support the signs in the ground. Signs of this type are commonly used for on site real estate advertisements. One example of a sign of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,527. Although inexpensive extruded corrugated or fluted plastic panels are especially useful for such applications, other similar signs can be fabricated from sheet metal as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,580. Cardboard could also be employed in similar applications, although its inferior environmental resistance would limit the useful life of cardboard or corrugated paperboard signs of this type.




Although stationary flat panel signs of this type are suitable for certain applications, they do not provide any means for attracting an observer's attention to the message displayed on the sign. One means for drawing attention to an advertising message is to impart movement to a portion of the sign. A wind-actuating rotating disk is used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,961 and a wind actuated rotating sign is shown in US Design Patent


373


,


601


. Each of these devices appear to be manufactured of sheet metal or to impart sufficient rigidity. The design shown in the latter patent also appears to be mounted on brackets fabricated from tubing having a rectangular cross section which must be crimped at its bend lines.




Another approach to a wind driven rotating sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,179, which shows a three sided sign with vertical panels mounted on a shaft extending upwardly from a flat base. The three panels are plastic and are joined together with a suitable adhesive. Portions of each panel extend outwardly form the juncture with an adjacent panel to form a vane that will cause the structure to rotate or turn in a breeze. The three panels are also joined to a top panel that has a dome enclosure in which the top of the shaft resides to support the panel structure while permitting the panels to turn in response to wind currents striking the protruding vanes.




None of these prior art rotating or wind driven signs appear to employ corrugated or fluted panels. Thus these prior art devices do not employ the corrugated or fluted construction of the panels to both provide rigidity and to mount a rotating panel on a stationary support. These prior art wind driven signs also do not appear to take advantage of the relatively light weight of these panels to simplify on site assembly of a wind driven sign. Furthermore none of these prior art movable signs appear to provide a lightweight placard or sign that can be relatively easily mounted at an elevated location on a pole or post where it is more easily observable and more likely to catch a suitable breeze or wind current to impart movement to the sign and to draw a passerby's attention to the message displayed on the sign. The instant invention overcomes each of these shortcomings of the prior art to provide a lightweight, inexpensive wind responsive display that can be easily assembled on site from flat panels and can be mounted in elevated or hard to reach locations. Furthermore the components of the invention described herein can be economically fabricated by die cutting a single panel. The sign can also be mounted either in a vertical orientation to a pole or other surface located on the side of the sign. Alternatively the sign can be mounted on a horizontal surface with a stationary mounting portion located below a movable member attached to it.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




According to one aspect of this invention, a sign would include a spinning member secured to a mounting member by an axle or other means of permitting mutual rotation between the two members. The axle means is attached to the mounting member adjacent one end thereof and the axle is attached to the spinning member along an axis of rotation of the spinning member. The mounting member includes two diverging sides, for imparting rigidity, with aligned recesses in the two diverging sides configured to provide clearance for the spinning member.




According to another aspect of this invention, a lightweight display that can be mounted on a surface includes a turning member secured to a mounting member by at least one axle extending between the mounting member and the turning member. Both the mounting member and the turning member are formed by fluted or corrugated panels. The axle is positioned in aligned flutes in the mounting member and the turning member, so that the turning member is free to move in response to wind currents relative to the mounting member.




This invention also can comprise a placard for displaying visual indicia. This placard has a first panel and a second panel. The second panel is cut from an opening in the first panel. The first panel is folded to form a three dimensional support member for the second panel with a portion of the opening being located along one side of the three dimensional support member. The second panel is supported partially in the portion of the opening on one side of the support member by at least one rod extending between the support member and the second panel.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a front three dimensional view of the assembled sign, display device or placard showing a turning or spinning disk secured to a support member by an axle rod.





FIG. 2

is a side view of the sign, display device or placard showing the spinning disk oriented to face to the side in a position in which the disk bisects the angle between two diverging sides of the triangular mounting member.





FIG. 3

is a rear view of the sign showing the attachment of mounting straps and showing the temporary adhesive strips located on the rear side of the mounting member.





FIG. 4

shows the manner in which the sign is attached or mounted on an pole or post where the disk is free to rotate or oscillate in wind currents of varying strength and direction.





FIG. 5

is a view of the sign mounted on a pole or post.





FIG. 6

shows the manner in which an initially flat panel is folded to form the mounting or support member for the rotatable member with display or informational indicia located on opposite surfaces.





FIG. 7

shows the manner in which upper and lower spacers are secured to the folded panels forming the mounting member to impart rigidity to the mounting member.





FIG. 8

is a view of the axle rod used to attach the spinning member to the mounting member.





FIG. 9

is a view of a bearing or bushing or top hat spacer that surrounds the axle and is located between the spinning member and the mounting member so that the spinning disk can ride on the bearing and rotate or oscillate relative to the axle and the mounting member.





FIG. 10

is a view of the flat blank from which the two panels forming the spinning member and the supporting member are die cut.





FIG. 11

is a view along the section lines


11





11


showing the extruded fluted construction of the flat panel.





FIG. 12

is a view of a blank from which the upper and lower mounting member spacers are formed.





FIG. 13

is a view of a sign in accordance with the instant invention mounted at an elevated location on a light pole of the type that is used to illuminate parking areas or streets.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




The preferred, representative embodiment of the invention disclosed herein comprises a wind responsive or wind driven sign, display, placard, signboard or other advertising or informational display


2


that can be mounted at an elevated location on a pole or post


4


or on some other surface. The sign


2


includes a turning or spinning component or member


10


that is mounted on a support or base


20


that provides rigidity to the sign


2


. In the preferred embodiment, the mounting member


20


is more rigid than the spinning member


10


because of its three dimensional configuration. Both the spinning member


10


and the mounting member


20


are fabricated from fluted or corrugated panels. This panels are preferably fabricated from materials such a extruded thermoplastic sheets. Examples of commercially available extruded thermoplastic fluted or corrugated panels of this type are those manufactured and sold using the trademarks COROPLAST® or POLYFLUTE® by Coroplast Inc., and those manufactured and sold using the trademark COR-X® by Primex Plastics Corp. Panels or sheets of this general type can be made of polypropylene, ABS, clear polyester, or other suitable thermoplastics. Although these plastic materials offer distinct advantages, such as light weight and relatively slight degradation when subjected to an exterior environment and to moisture, other materials can be employed in the broader aspects of this invention. For example, corrugated cardboard or paperboard could be used in some applications, and thicker panels with separate mounting channels or passages could also be employed, especially when it is not necessary to mount the sign at an elevated or relatively inaccessible location. Fluted or corrugated plastic panels, however, permit on site assembly of signs that are light enough and rigid enough to mounted at an elevated position while being large enough to provide a suitable and easily discemable display.




In the representative embodiment depicted in

FIGS. 1-5

,


10


, and


13


, the wind responsive or wind driven movable, spinning, turning, rotating, oscillating or gyrating member


10


comprises a flat disk which is free to spin or turn about its axis of rotation


12


which extends diametrically between opposite points on the disk. This flat disk


10


has two opposite exposed display surfaces


14


,


16


on which an image, design, text, message, advertisement or other generic visual indicia


18


is located. When fabricated from an extruded, die cut fluted or corrugated sheet or panel, the spinning member or disk


10


has sufficient rigidity to withstand wind currents and is sufficiently light in weight so that it can turn or move in a modest wind to attach attention to the a visual display that can be screen printed on the two exterior surfaces


14


,


16


. Although in the preferred embodiment the spinning member


10


is a flat disk or circular panel, it should be understood that other shapes could be employed. For example, a two dimensional rectangular shape representative of a beverage can could also be employed. Indeed, the spinning member could be a three dimensional representation of a beverage container or some other item could also be mounted to spin or rotate in substantially the same manner.




The spinning disk or member


10


is mounted on a mounting or support member


20


by an axle rod


50


that is preferably inserted into aligned flutes or passages in both the spinning member


10


and the mounting member


20


. Mounting member


20


is a three dimensional member formed by folding an initially flat panel parallel to the longitudinally extending flutes or channels in the fluted or corrugated panel. In the preferred embodiment, the mounting member


20


has a triangular cross section with three sides


22


,


24


and


26


which extend vertically when the mounting member


20


is attached to a pole, post or stanchion


4


. The first side


22


is joined to the second side


24


along a fold


30


and the first and second sides diverge form their juncture at the fold


30


. Semicircular recesses


34


and


36


in the first and second sides


22


,


24


respectively, extend from their maximum diameter at the fold


30


to provide clearance for the spinning disk


10


attached to the mounting member


20


. Of course, if a noncircular spinning member were employed, the recesses


34


and


36


could be suitably configured to permit the spinning member to rotate in wind currents without interference.




The third side


26


of the mounting member


20


is formed by first and second overlapping sections or flaps


38


and


40


as shown most clearly in FIG.


6


. Interior adhesive strips


42


located at the top and bottom of the inner overlapping flap


40


secure the outer overlapping flap


38


at the top and bottom of the third side


26


. The adhesive strips


42


would normally include peel away strips that would be removed during on site assembly to expose the adhesive. Similar adhesive strips


44


are located on the exterior of the outer flap


38


where they can be used to temporarily attach the mounting member


20


to a pole


4


or other surface. A series of prepunched holes are also provided in the flaps


38


,


40


forming the third side


26


so that straps or ties


46


for permanently securing the mounting member


20


to a pole


4


or other surface can be threaded through the third side


26


.




After the flaps


38


and


40


have been secured together to form the third side


26


of mounting member


20


, spacers or internal supports


60


are inserted into the top and bottom of the mounting member


20


. The spacers


60


have sides


66


extending from a base


68


. The base


68


is tapered so that the spacers


60


can be inserted between the first and second sides


22


,


24


of the supporting member


20


. Prepunched holes


62


in the spacers


60


can then be aligned with similar holes


28


on the first and second sides


22


,


24


. Standard plastic fastening posts, which can be referred to as “Christmas trees” can then be inserted into the aligned holes


28


,


62


to secure the spacers


60


between the first and second sides


22


,


24


to impart increased rigidity to the three dimensional supporting member


20


. Other conventional fastening means could also be employed. In the preferred embodiment, fluted or corrugated panel are used to form the spacers


60


, although other materials could be employed. For example, the spacers could be fabricated as tapered block of foam material. Although the preferred embodiment of support member


20


is triangular in cross section, the invention is not limited to the configuration of the representative embodiment depicted herein. For example, the support member


20


could be rectangular in cross section, and the support member need not have a constant cross section between the top and the bottom of the support.




The spinning member


10


is attached to the mounting member


20


by an axle rod


50


that is inserted through aligned flutes or passages in the spinning panel


10


and the mounting member


20


. This preferably metal rod


50


is not inserted through the channel or flute that is located at the fold line


30


because that flute or channel will be at least partially collapsed when the first side


22


is folded relative to the second side


24


. The rod


50


can however be inserted into the next adjacent flute or channel in the mounting member


20


and into the central or longest flute or channel extending along the axis of rotation of the spinning member


10


. These flutes, passages or channel on the two members


10


and


20


are preferably marked by prepunched notches


32


or similar means to identify the proper flute into which the rod


50


is to be inserted. The mounting member


20


could also be prefolded at the proper location for the fold line


30


and at the intersection with the first and second flaps


38


,


40


with the other ends of the first and second sides


22


,


24


.




The axle rod


50


is shown in more detail in

FIG. 8

where a section of the rod has been removed for illustration purposes. In the preferred embodiment, the rod


50


is a one piece


11


GA. Galvanized steel rod having a length of approximately thirty (


30


) inches. A straight rod section


52


extends along substantially the entire length of the rod


50


and terminates at the bottom end as shown in

FIG. 8. A

hood section


54


is formed by reversely bending the top of the rod and a clasp section


56


which overlaps the main rod section


52


is formed at the top end of the axle rod


50


. The hook


54


and the clasp


56


secure the axle rod to the top of one of the side panels of the mounting member


20


in one of the prepunched notches


32


. I t should be understood that the axle about which the spinning member


10


freely rotates could be formed by equivalent means such as a plastic rod that could be inserted through both the spinning member


10


and the mounting member


20


, or separate, shorter rods could be used at opposite ends of the spinning member


10


.




In addition to the axle rod


50


, bearings, bushings or top hat spacers


70


are located between the spinning disk


10


and the mounting member


20


at the top and bottom of the spinning member. These bearings


70


permit the spinning member


10


to rotate or move freely with respect to the stationary support member


20


and the stationary rod


50


. These bearings can be molded from a polypropylene or polyethylene or similar material. As seen in

FIG. 9

, each bearing includes a circular base


72


with a shaft


74


extending therefrom. A conical bearing bore


76


extends through both the base


72


and the shaft


74


. Both the rod


50


and the bearings


70


can be assembled between the spinning member


10


and the mounting member on the site where the display or sign


2


is to be mounted or in some other location.




The combination of an axle rod


50


and bearings


70


are not the only means of mounting a rotating or spinning member


10


on a stationary mounting member


20


. Other equivalent structures could be employed to permit this mutual rotation. For example a combination of two, mutually rotating interfitting members could be employed. One interfitting member could have a circular rim with a “Christmas tree” style fastener extending upwardly from the center. A second interfitting member could include three snap fingers which engage the rim on the other member so that the three fingers can rotate on the circular rim of its companion member. Two “Christmas tree” style fasteners could extend from opposite edges. These “Christmas tree” style fasteners could be inserted into the flutes or channels of the rotating and stationary members. Interfitting members could be mounted on opposite ends of the spinning member and the mounting member. This is just an example of one of the alternate means equivalent to a solid axle for permitting mutual rotation between the two member. Another equivalent approach would be to use a wire instead of a rigid rod as an axle.





FIGS. 10 through 12

show a preferred method for fabricating the spinning member


10


and the stationary mounting member


20


as well as the spacers


60


.

FIG. 1

shows a flat fluted or corrugated panel


100


from which both a circular spinner


10


and a triangular mounting member


20


can be fabricated. The mounting member


20


is fabricated from a first panel section


102


which extends around the periphery of a second circular panel


104


. The center second panel


104


is die cut from the flat panel blank


100


to form a circular opening


116


. This circular opening forms the two semicircular recesses


34


,


36


when the first flat panel


102


is folded along fold line


30


to form the triangular three dimensional configuration of support member


20


. By fabricating the two panels in this manner, little material is wasted.




The fluted or corrugated configuration of the panel


100


, and therefore of the spinning member


10


and mounting member


20


, is shown in

FIG. 11

, which is a cross section of a portion of the panel


100


. This extruded panel has two spaced apart faces, front face


110


and rear face


112


. Transverse webs


106


extend between the front face


110


and the rear face


112


on the interior of the fluted panel. The exterior faces


110


and


112


and the transverse webs


106


form a series of parallel flutes, channels or passages


108


which extend between opposite ends of the panel


100


. It is these flutes


108


that permit the support panel


102


to be folded to form a three dimensional member and provide for mounting an axle rod


50


to attach the spinning member


10


to the mounting member


20


.





FIG. 12

shows the a blank


120


from which a spacer


60


could be formed. Fold lines


122


would be prebent and holes


62


can be punched in the panel. The flat panel


120


is then folded along fold lines


122


to form the spacer configuration.





FIG. 13

shows the manner in which a sign


2


can be mounted on a conventional light pole


4


of the type typically used to light parking areas or streets. The sign can be easily mounted on a pole of this type by using standard straps or ties


46


of the type shown in

FIG. 4 and 5

. If the diameter of the pole is too large for a single tie


46


, two ties can be attached together to secure the mounting member


20


to the pole


4


.

FIG. 13

shows that the sign or placard


2


can be mounted at a relatively high location because of the light weight of the material form which it is fabricated. The height of this sign could be approximately thirty (30) inches. The diameter of the spinning disk


10


that could be used in this sign could be over twenty (20) inches providing adequate space for the visual indicia


18


that would convey the message to be communicated by the sign


2


. This permits the sign


2


to be located at a height where the view is unobstructed and where the sign is exposed to wind currents that rotate or oscillate the spinning member


10


.




The movement of the spinning member will depend upon the strength, direction and velocity of the wind currents to which it is exposed. When a flat panel is used, the spinning member will continuously turn in certain situations. In others the flat panel will oscillate, even in a steady wind, through an arc of less than one hundred eighty degrees (180°). This oscillation is perhaps due to the unsteady nature of the airflow across the flat panel, especially as the orientation of the panel to the wind changes as the panel oscillates. The movement of the panel is also affected by the three dimensional nature of the mounting member and of the nearby pole to which the sign is attached. In some conditions the spinning panel will remain oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the rear side


26


of the mounting member


20


. In this orientation, the side of the spinning disk


10


will bisect the angle formed by the two diverging side panels


22


,


24


. The semicircular recesses


32


and


34


provide clearance for this portion of the spinning disk. In other wind conditions, the rotatable panel


10


will extend substantially parallel to the rear side


26


as shown in

FIGS. 3-5

. Note that even a steady wind perpendicular to the disk


10


in this orientation need not cause rotation of the panel


10


because the air pressure on the disk should be substantially the same on both sides of the axis of rotation, thus contributing no turning moment. Regardless of the rotation, oscillation, gyration or other movement of the spinning disk, its movement and its relative orientation will serve to draw attention to the sign and to its message.




A number of equivalent structures for the components have been discussed to demonstrate that the representative embodiment depicted herein is not the only version of this invention that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. It should also be understood that there are extensions of this invention that would remain within the invention as claimed herein. For example if the movable member is attached to the mounting member on only one end, and if the attachment is articulated, the movable member could move in a complex manner and would not be limited to simple rotation about a fixed axis. Therefore the invention described herein is not limited to the representative embodiment, but is instead defined by the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A sign comprising a spinning member secured to a mounting member by an axle, the sign being characterized in that the axle is attached to the mounting member adjacent one end thereof and the axle is attached to the spinning member along an axis of rotation of the spinning member, the mounting member including two diverging sides, for imparting rigidity, with aligned recesses in the two diverging sides configured to provide clearance for the spinning member.
  • 2. The sign of claim 1 wherein the mounting member comprises a folded member with the axle located adjacent a fold between the two diverging sides.
  • 3. The sign of claim 1 wherein the two diverging sides are secured by a third side extending therebetween, the three sides forming the mounting member having a triangular cross section.
  • 4. The sign of claim 3 wherein the third side comprises overlapping sections secured together.
  • 5. The sign of claim 1 wherein the spinning member and the mounting member are each fabricated from flat panels, with the flat panel forming the mounting member being folded to form a support that is more rigid than the flat panel.
  • 6. The sign of claim 1 wherein the spinning member is fabricated from a corrugated flat panel.
  • 7. The sign of claim 6 wherein the axle extend into channels in the corrugated spinning member.
  • 8. The sign of claim 6 wherein the mounting member is fabricated from a corrugated flat panel, wherein the axle extends through aligned channels in the corrugated spinning member and in the corrugated mounting member.
  • 9. The sign of claim 1 wherein the spinning member is fabricated from a lightweight material so that the spinning member is free to spin relative to the mounting member in wind currents.
  • 10. The sign of claim 1 further including at least one spacer secured between diverging panels forming the mounting member to add rigidity to the mounting member.
  • 11. The sign of claim 1 further including a bearing mounted on the axle between the spinning member and the mounting member.
  • 12. The sign of claim 1 wherein the axle comprises a single rod extending completely through the axis of rotation of the spinning member and attached to the mounting member on opposite ends of the spinning member.
  • 13. The sign of claim 1 wherein the spinning member rotates relative to the axle.
  • 14. A lightweight display that can be mounted on a surface including a turning member secured to a mounting member by at least one longitudinal support extending between the mounting member and the turning member, both the mounting member and the turning member being formed by fluted panels, with the longitudinal support being positioned in adjacent flutes in the mounting member and the turning member, so that the turning member is free to move in response to wind currents relative to the mounting member.
  • 15. The lightweight display of claim 14 wherein the turning member is free to rotate through an angle of 360°.
  • 16. The lightweight display of claim 4 wherein the longitudinal support comprises an axle.
  • 17. A placard for displaying visual indicia comprising a first panel and a second panel, the second panel being cut from the first panel to form an opening in the first panel, the first panel being folded to form a three dimensional support member for the second panel with a portion of the opening being located along one side of the three dimensional support member with the second panel being supported partially in the portion of the opening on one side of the support member by at least one rod extending between the support member and the second panel.
  • 18. The placard of claim 17 wherein the first and second panels comprise die cut members.
  • 19. The placard of claim 17 wherein the second panel is free to rotate, vibrate, oscillate, swing or spin depending upon varying strength and direction of wind currents when the placard is placed in an exterior location.
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