Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Signs – Hanging
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2002-10-22
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Signs
Hanging
C052S762000, C052S764000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06467209
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to decorative covers for lighting fixtures and, more particularly, to an overhead media display system for attachment of display structures such as product signs to suspended ceilings and ceiling mounted light fixtures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The competitive demand for advertising space in the retail store setting and, in particular, in convenience stores has prompted innovative sales and marketing techniques for many consumer products. In convenience stores, for instance, vendors typically make payments to the store owners in order to obtain shelf space or to get favorable product or signage placement on the ends of aisles or near the cash register. Retail store displays and advertising signs of many different configurations are utilized by vendors to direct the consumer's attention to particular products within the store.
Signs and product displays in convenience stores tend to fall into two general categories. “Point-of-presence” signs tend to be permanent in character and need to be attractive and durable. “Promotional” signs tend to be temporary in nature and must be easily installed and removed. In addition, they must be inexpensive because they are frequently changed as sales promotions come and go.
Many convenience store owners traditionally display promotional signs on store windows and glass doors to advertise current sale items and prices. Of course, the availability of window advertising space is limited and, in addition, such signs may present security concerns for the store owner by limiting visibility of the store premises and parking lot areas. Thus, there exists a need for practical alternatives to conventional “point-of-presence” and “promotional” advertising signs and product displays.
Advertising signs hanging from the ceiling of the store have good visibility and should be desirable to advertisers. However, there are many problems associated with the current art relating to such ceiling mounted signs and display elements which have prevented their commercial acceptance and widespread use. Some varieties of ceiling mounted displays are simply unattractive being nothing more than a lightweight sign suspended on a string. Others are relatively expensive to manufacture and difficult to assemble and install being comprised of numerous component parts. For example, a decorative cover bearing advertising indicia for display on ceiling mounted light fixtures of the type used in acoustical suspended ceilings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,850. It will be noted that the ('850) patent requires separate fastening components such as magnetic strips, adhesive tape, or hook and grommet fasteners for securing the decorative cover to the suspended ceiling, which significantly increases the manufacturing cost and the difficulty of installation.
Further, a major consideration for any national marketing firm attempting to deliver advertising signs and product displays to thousands of convenience stores is the ability to conveniently and economically ship these items via established delivery services. Although a three-dimensional sign having multiple display surfaces would be desirable for advertising purposes, such a bulky sign structure is more expensive to package, ship, and store on the shelf A generally flat sign is less expensive to package and ship and more convenient to store.
Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to solve these problems by providing an overhead media display system, which is designed for attachment of signs and other display elements on suspended ceilings and other ceiling fixtures. Each sign or display element is constructed of a single piece of opaque or translucent plastic, which is folded, plastic welded or glued to provide structural strength, and includes integral retaining elements for affixing the sign or display element to a suspended ceiling framework or other ceiling fixture. No additional structural support members or fasteners are necessary due to the properties of the materials and the novel folding techniques incorporated in their fabrication.
After being constructed and assembled, each sign or display element can be conveniently folded to a flattened condition for shipping. The present signs and display elements are inexpensive and can easily be installed and replaced in connection with temporary sales promotions, but are sufficiently stable and attractive to serve as permanent, point-of-presence advertising and commercial art displays.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
One example of a prior art sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,850 to Uosis Juodvalkis, which shows a decorative cover for a ceiling mounted light comprising a translucent decorative sheet or film attached to the ceiling such that the light source is located above the cover providing back-lighting for the decorative design. It will be noted that this patent discloses a V-shaped translucent cover limited to use with a light source directly above the cover. The V-shaped configuration, wherein planar panels
22
and
24
extend from the merge line
26
comprising a so-called “living hinge”, results in a relatively unstable construction, which must be supported by strengthening strips
42
and
44
, or by end caps
46
and
48
in an alternative embodiment. The cover is preferably attached to the suspended ceiling framework by magnetic means such as magnetic strips, or by other conventional fasteners such as hooks and grommets, Velcro fasteners, or other adhesives, which increase manufacturing and installation costs.
Another example of a prior art sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,671 to Jan S. Gross, which shows a decorative advertising cover for overhead fluorescent strip lighting having the general shape of a triangular prism. This cover has several components namely a transparent plastic sheet
11
joined by two end caps
10
to form the triangular prism shape. A preferred material for the end caps
10
is an injection moldable, fire-retardant ABS resin. The transparent polyester sheet
11
is preferably thermoformed into its final V-shape as shown in
FIG. 8
before being adhesively fixed to end caps
10
.
Another prior art sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,216 to Jan S. Gross, which shows an advertising cover for overhead fluorescent strip lighting similar in overall construction to the ('671) patent to Gross. This cover further includes modified end caps
30
providing for sliding engagement of the cover with the lighting fixture and additional frame components
32
and
33
defining channel recesses
42
to receive interchangeable plastic sheets with advertising printed thereon.
Still another example of a prior art sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,331 to Michael J. Fell, which illustrates a display module for attachment to suspended ceiling framing members adjacent a lighting fixture. The module
1
is comprised of a trough
10
made of light transmissive material comprising face panels
15
and
16
and separate triangular end closures
20
and
21
. The module
1
is provided with optional upper and lower panel supports
31
and
32
and an interchangeable panel
8
. Flanges
22
,
23
, and
11
extend outwardly from the top edges of the end closures
20
and
21
and serve as the attachment areas for securing the module to the ceiling frame members by use of a plurality of universal clips
12
as shown in FIG.
1
.
Another prior art sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,566 to William K. Bowman, which shows a backlighting light fixture adapted for use in providing backlight illumination for display structures having a framework made of rail members assembled to define openings with translucent image bearing panels mounted in the openings.
Another example of a prior art sign is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,355 to Ronald P. Harwood, which describes a combination lighting fixture and graphic display means for suspension from a ceiling having a concealed raceway for wiring and lighting transformers while at the same time providing illuminated
Harper Theodore R.
Hutton Doug
Knight Anthony
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