Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Changing exhibitor – Sliding plate
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2001-02-06
Davis, C. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Changing exhibitor
Sliding plate
C040S488000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182386
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a sign comprising a rear plate having at least two sections arranged in a row and a front plate movably arranged in front of the rear plate so that the front plate may be caused to cover or uncover one or more sections.
Such a sign is known from e.g. DE-01-295 16 232 which shows a sign comprising a rear plate with two printed messages, a transparent cover plate and a front plate movably arranged between the rear plate and the cover plate. The rear plate is provided with two printed messages—“Unoccupied” and “Occupied”—and the movable front plate has a size such that it covers one message in its one extreme position, while it covers the other message in its other extreme position.
Another sign is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,462. This sign comprises a front plate, a rear plate and a movable indicator plate. At one end the movable indicator plate has printed thereon an arrowhead which points in a direction opposite to an arrowhead printed at the other end of the indicator plate. The movable indicator plate is provided with a handle so that it may be placed in a position in which it is covered completely by the front plate, where just one arrowhead is visible, while the other is covered by the front plate, and vice versa. A line is printed on the front plate so that the sign can show either just a line or one of two oppositely directed arrows.
Known are also signs where a movable element may be caused to cover one message, while another message is exposed, see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,713 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,990.
It is common to these signs that the movable element can be moved only in one dimension and can thereby just either expose a first message or a second message, depending on whether the movable element is in its one extreme position or its other extreme position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a sign which is more flexible in use than the known signs.
This is achieved by arranging the sign stated in the opening paragraph such that the rear plate additionally comprises at least one section staggered with respect to the row, and in that the sign is arranged such that the front plate may be moved in two dimensions relative to and in a plane parallel with the rear plate so that the front plate may be caused to cover or uncover sections in the row as well as sections staggered with respect to the row.
This provides a sign which may be caused to show one of several possible sections which may contain messages, merely by moving a single element—the front plate.
Preferably, both the rear plate and the front plate are rectangular, and the sections are arranged on the rear plate immediately within the edge of the front plate when this is in its starting position. This provides a sign in its simplest form which can readily replace the greater part of the known signs.
In particular preferred embodiment of a rectangular sign, a section is arranged on the rear plate immediately within each edge of the front plate when this is in its starting position, and the sign is arranged such that the front plate may be moved in all directions to expose one or two sections at the same time. When the sign is arranged in this manner, then selectively, just one out of four different sections may be displayed, or two sections may be displayed at the same time.
In a practical embodiment, the sign comprises a movable element arranged between the rear plate and the front plate, said movable element being movably mounted in the rear plate in a first direction, and the front plate is movably mounted in the movable element in a second direction perpendicular to the first section. It is ensured hereby that the front plate may be moved in all directions to expose one or more sections.
To increase the flexibility of the sign, the rear plate may advantageously comprise a removable transparent intermediate plate which covers and holds a notice with said messages, and preferably the intermediate plate is provided with rearwardly directed flaps capable of snappingly engaging complementary recesses provided in a mounting plate which forms part of the rear plate. This allows easy replacement of messages on the rear plate, as this just requires that the intermediate plate is removed and a new notice is inserted into the rear plate.
In a preferred embodiment, the front plate comprises a removable transparent cover which covers and holds a notice, said transparent cover being preferably mounted by means of a snap closure. This also allows easy and quick replacement of the notice on the front plate.
In particularly preferred embodiment, the front plate has the same size as a credit card or a visiting card, so that cards of this standard size may be used in the sign.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4165572 (1979-08-01), Sussman
patent: 4176484 (1979-12-01), Terris
patent: 4196529 (1980-04-01), Esbensen
patent: 5255462 (1993-10-01), Rufenacht
patent: 5269086 (1993-12-01), Tomes
patent: 206913 (1923-11-01), None
patent: 1 459 845 (1976-12-01), None
patent: 8101483 (1984-07-01), None
A/S Modulex
Davis C.
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
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