Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Display with special effects – Electromotor operated
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-09-11
Green, Brian K. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Display with special effects
Electromotor operated
C040S476000, C040S509000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286239
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to poster display systems and to methods of displaying poster images.
2. Description of Related Art
It is often desired to display more than one poster image at a particular site and there already exist poster display systems in which the poster image is displayed on a series of juxtaposed elongate elements of polygonal cross-section. One face of each element carries a respective part of the poster image and the image displayed can be changed by rotating all of the elements in unison so that they each present another face. Such display systems involve the use of a multiplicity of polygonal elements each of which must be rotated during use of the systems and to each of which must be attached respective parts of each poster image. Thus the manufacture of such a system is expensive and the changing of the set-up of the system to enable a different set of poster images to be displayed is cumbersome and expensive.
It has been proposed to provide a poster display system for presenting a plurality of different images by mounting a masking sheet over a poster image sheet and moving the masking sheet small distances relative to the poster image sheet. The poster image sheet is formed with a multiplicity of image strips with adjacent strips defining portions of different images. The masking sheet has alternate opaque and transparent strips so as to reveal selected ones only of the poster image strips. In one position of the masking sheet relative to the image sheet, strips of a first image remain exposed while other image strips are concealed behind opaque strips of the masking sheet. In another position of the masking sheet relative to the image sheet strips of the first image are concealed behind opaque strips whilst the image strips relating to another image that were previously concealed behind the masking strips become exposed. Provided the width of the masking strips is not too great, a human eye will fill in the masked parts of the image and see an entire poster image. The image seen will, however, vary according to which image strips are exposed. Thus the display system may be used to display a plurality of unrelated static images, or a plurality of closely related images which, when displayed in the correct sequence, provide an animation, as for example proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,185.
For the proper functioning of a poster display system of the kind just described, in which image strips relating to a plurality of poster images are provided on a common poster image sheet, it is very important that the relative positions of the poster image sheet and the masking sheet are very precise. That requirement applies and is relatively simple to meet if only two images are included on the poster image sheet but is more onerous if more images are included. Furthermore, it is very desirable that it should be easy to replace one poster image sheet by another so that a different set of images can be displayed by the system. Further still, it is very important that the poster image sheet and the masking sheet maintain overall contact with each other between the surfaces of the composite material upon which the grids are printed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Such requirements have proved very onerous and prevented widespread commercial use of such display systems.
According to the present invention there is provided a poster display system for displaying a plurality of different images, the system comprising
(a) an image grid carrying a first set of image strips comprising a multiplicity of first strips spaced apart from one another and presenting different regions of a first image, and a second set of image strips comprising a multiplicity of second strips spaced apart from one another and presenting different regions of a second image, said second strips being distributed over the grid between the said first strips;
(b) a masking grid adjacent to the image grid and carrying a set of masking strips comprising a multiplicity of masking strips spaced apart from one another and a set of window strips comprising a multiplicity of window strips spaced apart from one another, said window strips being distributed over the grid between said masking strips;
(c) a mounting system for mounting the image grid and the masking grid for movement relative to one another;
(d) drive means for producing relative movement between the image grid and the masking grid between a first display position, in which said window strips are aligned with said first image strips and said second image strips are obscured by said masking strips, and a second display position, in which said window strips are aligned with said second image strips and said first image strips are obscured by said masking strips; and
(e) compression means for urging opposite edge portions of the image grid and of the masking grid towards each other whereby the image grid and the masking grid become curved and the image grid and the masking grid are brought into intimate contact with one another under pressure.
The use of further compression of the image grid or the masking grid enables them to be brought into close proximity as a result of the substantially complete exclusion of air between these grids, and this can result in particularly good registration of the window strips of the masking grid with image strips of the image grid, thereby enabling only image strips of one image and no other to be viewed at a time.
The image grid preferably carries three or more sets of image strips. It is then possible to have three or more images displayed sequentially by the system. The more sets of image strips that are provided, the greater the width required for the masking strips relative to the image strips. As a result, accurate mounting of the masking strips relative to the image strips, which can be facilitated by the present invention, becomes more advantageous.
Using a masking grid having masking strips alternating with window strips, the width of each window strip may be less than one fifth of the width of adjacent masking strips and a good image can still be displayed. It is advantageous that the masking strips between adjacent window strips have widths of less than about 2 mm so that the images appear continuous to the eye.
The width of each window strip is preferably less than the width of each image strip with the respective window strip is aligned. Such extra width of image strip provides a small tolerance for the relative positions of the window strips and image strips, and it also allows for oblique viewing of the display.
Although the image grid may form one face of a rigid body of substantial thickness, it is preferably formed on a flexible sheet which advantageously has a thickness of less than 1 mm and more particularly of less than 0.5 mm. The image strips are preferably printed on the image grid.
The masking grid should at least be translucent and preferably transparent. It is also preferred that the masking strips be printed on the masking grid. Forming the image strips and the masking strips by printing is very simple and modern printers can print such strips with sufficient accuracy.
The masking grid and the image grid are preferably made from the same material so that they will expand and contract in a similar way in response to temperature changes and the like. These two grids preferably have a low coefficient of expansion.
It is generally preferred to arrange the image grid and the masking grid with their respective printed faces immediately adjacent to each other as this can enable the accuracy of positioning the image strips and the masking strips to be improved and problems caused by oblique viewing can be reduced.
Whilst it is possible to have an intermediate translucent sheet or sheets between or laminated to the image grid and the masking grid, it is preferable to have these grids in direct contact with one another with substantially no air between them. The exclusion of air from between the grids not only enables them to be brought into contact wi
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley LLP
Green Brian K.
LandOfFree
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