Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural strip – slat – or panel type – Portable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-02-20
Purol, David M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural strip, slat, or panel type
Portable
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189594
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a display system which is portable, free-standing, and can be packed, unpacked and/or repacked, transported and utilized readily for display purposes at sales presentations, conventions, seminars or the like.
Conventional display systems normally provide a relatively large display surface formed by a number of display panels which are supported by a frame or are themselves self-supporting. Such display systems are relatively large and the individual components are normally packed in a tubular carrier for transportation and storage. Larger displays can be reconfigured into smaller displays for table top presentations, but no display is specifically so designed as to be relatively small or compact in size for ready transport and subsequent utilization as a table top or desk top display.
Examples of conventional display systems of the type aforesaid include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,043 granted on Aug. 8, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,384 granted on Mar. 18, 1997 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,391 granted on Aug. 11, 1998, each in the name of Wallace T. Carter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,711 issued to Gustafson is not directed to a display or a portable display case, but discloses a so-called convertible carrying case and expandable easel which includes four relatively slidable panels shown best in FIG. 3 in the open position of the carrying case, as compared to the closed position of FIG. 1 and the partially open position of FIG. 2. The carrying case is hinged to open and close between the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and two arms are used as a carrying handle (FIG. 1) and as supporting stands (FIG. 4). Latches (FIG. 1) hold the two case halves or panels closed. This patent reflects the closest prior art developed during a search of the present invention, but will be seen to lack the novel structure disclosed and claimed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,852 issued to Hess also discloses a changeable sample case which includes three panels pivoted to each other which when closed define a display case (FIG. 1) which can be opened (FIG. 3) and supported upright for display purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,118 issued to Van Skyhawk et al. is another example of a carrying case and a display case in which a handle can be basically pushed, pulled or slid between its carrying position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and eventually pivoted and interlocked in a display position (FIG. 6).
Other patents found during the search of the present invention and which are considered of lesser interest and/or disclose equivalent or redundant structure corresponding to structure disclosed in the above-described patents include the following:
Greene
U.S. Pat. No. 2,549,306
Mayer, Sr. et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,538
Volkert
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,802
Judd
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,498
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A novel portable display of the present invention includes a portable display case formed of a plurality of panel members with adjacent panel members being pivotally connected to each other. The portable display case preferably includes four such panel members with each panel member having upper and lower substantially parallel edge portions and opposite substantially parallel side edge portions with side edge portions of adjacent panel members being pivotally connected to each other for movement between a closed position in which panel faces of the panel members are in substantially panel face-to-panel-face opposing relationship in substantially parallel planes and an open display position in which the panel members are in substantially side-by-side and/or aligned relationship. One of the panel members, preferably one of two centermost panel members, includes a reciprocally slidable carrying handle which is moved between an inoperative housed position and an operative carrying position which allows the portable display case to be carried much in the manner of an attaché case or the like. The carrying handle preferably includes a pair of legs and a hand grip therebetween. The pair of legs are mounted for reciprocal sliding movement in an associated panel member, and stops prevent the carrying handle from being bodily removed from its associated panel member.
The portable display case also includes slots along upper edges of preferably the centermost two panel members which receive projections or legs of a header which allows the header to be supported in an upright position relative to the centermost panel members in the display position.
At least a rear face of one of the panel members includes a recess configured to the shape of the header for housing the header during transport. Preferably, the centermost two panel members have recesses corresponding in shape to the header which are opposite mirror images of each other and thereby collectively define a single recess accommodating the header when the two centermost panel members are moved to their closed position.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2549306 (1951-04-01), Greene
patent: 2707538 (1955-05-01), Mayer, Sr. et al.
patent: 3297118 (1967-01-01), Skyhawk et al.
patent: 3938772 (1976-02-01), Andrusiak
patent: 4147198 (1979-04-01), Ytter
patent: 4524852 (1985-06-01), Hess
patent: 4678018 (1987-07-01), Grundstedt et al.
patent: 4785565 (1988-11-01), Kuffner
patent: 4833802 (1989-05-01), Volkert
patent: 4852498 (1989-08-01), Judd
patent: 4893711 (1990-01-01), Gustafson
patent: 5220952 (1993-06-01), Beaulieu
patent: 5439043 (1995-08-01), Carter
patent: 5791391 (1998-08-01), Carter
Diller, Ramik & Wight PC
Purol David M.
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