Portable display unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ₂θ

This invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a device for displaying products and information regarding products, with the device being sufficiently compact and light in weight as to be readily transportable. 25

In the past, many attempts have been made to provide a light weight, compact and portable display device; and while some of these attempts have in general resulted in satisfactory units, none has provided a versatile unit wherein the nature of the display can be readily 30 changed. Often, during trade shows, conventions and the like, it is desirable to provide a display device which can be erected quickly and placed upon any available support, such as a table. In many known types of display units, a series of complicated manipulative steps must be 35 carried out to erect the information bearing portion of the display, and after the display has been set up, it has been extremely difficult to change the message being displayed, if desired, as is often the case at a trade show when a plurality of products are being displayed by a 40 given manufacturer.

SUMMARY

The display device of the present invention obviates the problems noted above by providing a compact, light 45 weight suitcase-like unit consisting of a pair of hingedly connected shells having information displaying means therein. The display device can be readily converted from a transportable unit to a displaying unit by merely pivoting the shells relative to one another to a display posi- 50 tion, and placing the shells on a support, such as a table or the like. Means is provided in each of the display unit shells for removably mounting information bearing panels, and thus the message or messages being displayed can be readily changed, when desired. Each shell pref- 55 erably includes means dividing the shell into a pair of display areas, so that related messages can be provided in each of the display areas of a shell, or one of the areas can be utilized to display a product. A series of lamps is provided in each shell of the unit adjacent a 60 reflective member, so that varied visual display effects can be created, if desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display device formed ¢5 in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with the display device being illustrated in the closed or transporting position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display device of FIG. 1 illustrated in the open or displaying position; 70

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, broken cross sectoinal view taken generally along line 3—3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken generally along line 4—4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded, fragmentary perspective view illustrating the shell dividing and panel holding structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail an embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the display device of the present invention is illustrated in its entirety at 10 in FIG. 1, and it will be noted that the display device is in the form of a suitcase that includes generally identical, mirror image shells 11 and 12. The suitcase-like unit 10 includes conventional clasps 13 adjacent mating edges of the shells 11 and 12 for retaining the shells in the closed position of FIG. 1, and a conventional carrying handle 14 is provided at the upper end of the unit 10. Each of shells 11 and 12 includes an upright back wall 15; and a top wall 16, bottom wall 17 and side walls 18 extend generally perpendicularly with respect to rear wall 15. The shells 11 and 12 are preferably molded from a suitable plastic material, and the outer ends of top wall 16, bottom wall 17 and side walls 18 are received in a suitable, generally U-shaped metal reinforcing member 19. As can be best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reinforcing member 19 on shell 12 is a male member having a projection 20 thereon, it being understood that the reinforcing member 19 on shell 11 is a female member having a recess therein to receive the projection 20 when the shells are in the closed position illustrated in FIG. 1. As is evident from FIG. 2, the forwardmost edges of the sides 18 of shells 11 and 12 remote from clasps 13 are connected to one another by a vertically disposed hinge 21, so that the shells can be pivoted to a position in alignment with one another exposing the interior of each shell. Suitable support feet 22 are provided on the shells 11 and 12 to stabilize the unit in the open display position.

A generally U-shaped channel 23 is provided in each of shells 11 and 12 adjacent the outer end of walls 16-18, and channels 23 may be secured in place by metal screws 24, which extend through openings in the bight portion 25 of channel 23 into internally threaded holes in metal reinforcing members 19. The spaced legs 26 and 27 of the channels 23 define an open, continuous groove around Walls 16-18, with the grooves lying in a plane that is perpendicular to walls 16-18.

Divider means extends across each of shields 11 and 12, and as can be best seen in FIG. 3, the divider meons includes a generally U-shaped channel member 28 including a bight portion 29 and spaced legs 30 and 31. The bight portion 29 of each channel 28 is disposed generally parallel with the legs 26 and 27 of channels 23, and the legs 30 and 31 of each channel 28 are disposed generally perpendicularly with respect to the legs 26 and 27 of channels 23, so that the groove formed between the legs 30 and 31 of channels 28 opens forwardly and is perpendicular to the hinge 21 joining the shells 11 and 12. Bight portion 29 of each channel 28 includes extensions 29α (FIG. 4) at opposite ends thereof, which are positioned in face abutting engagement with the inner surface of leg 27 of channels 23, and channels 28 are secured in place by having metal screws 32 pass through

3,500,569

4 openings in extensions 29a and threadably engage internally threaded openings in the legs 27a of channels 23.

Means is provided in each of shells 11 and 12 for retaining a panel P above divider channel 28 and a panel P' below divider channel 28. To this end, retention members 34 and 35 are secured to the facing surfaces of legs 30 and 31, respectively, of each channel 28; as by bonding, screws 36 or other suitable fastening means. Retention members 34 and 35 define therebetween a narrow gap 37 that is adapted to slidably receive the leg 38 of a generally T-shaped panel supporting trim piece 39. As is evident from FIG. 4, when the leg 39 is positioned between members 34 and 35, the cross portion 40 of member 39 retains the adjacent edges of panels P and P' against the front surfaces of members 34 and 35, and against the front surfaces of legs 30 and 31 of channel 28, which are disposed coplanar with the front surfaces of members 34 and 35. The legs 38 of members 39 include a plurality of upset or deformed portions 41 (one of which is shown in FIG. 5) it being understood that the upset portions 41 cooperate with the spaced members 34 and 35 to frictionally and releasably retain the members 39 in place. As is evident from FIG. 3, the leg 38 of each member 39 serves to support the upper panel P, while the cross portion 40 of member 39 functions as a trim member to mask the gap between panels P and P'.

The means for releasably retaining the panels P and P' in place further includes a plurality of generally U-shaped holding inserts 42 which are releasably positioned in the groove between the legs 26 and 27 of channels 23. The inserts 42 may be formed of a somewhat resilient plastic material, with the inserts 42 being wedged between the legs 26 and 27 of channels 23 to frictionally clamp the edges of panels P and P' against legs 26. Alternatively, the inserts 42 may be formed of metal and held in place by screws 45.

A plurality of laterally spaced projections 34« one of which is shown in FIG. 5, extend outwardly from member 34 and cooperate with recesses 46 in the bottom of upper panel P to temporarily support the upper panels prior to the insertion of members 39. It will be understood, of course, that projections 34« extend forwardly a distance P, to that the inner surfaces of the cross portion 40 of member 39 can bear directly upon the outer surfaces of the panels.

Means is provided in each of shells 11 and 12 for releasably retaining a further panel P within the rear portion of the respective shells. To this end, a suitable somewhat Z-shaped retaining member 47 is provided in each shell adjacent the rear wall 15 thereof; and members 47 include a horizontally disposed mounting portion 48 that is secured to the bottom wall 17 of the respective shell as by screws or the like. Members 47 further include a vertical portion 49 that extends upwardly from the inner end of mounting portion 48, and a panel retaining portion 50 that extends inwardly from the upper end of vertical portion 49. As is clear from FIG. 3, retaining portion 50 is spaced from the rear wall 15 of the illustrated shell 12 to define therebetween a gap for receiving the lower end of panel P. The means for retaining the upper end of panel P includes a plurality of spaced clips 51 that are urged by respective springs 52 into a panel clamping position. Springs 52 are fixedly secured to the rear wall 15 of the shells by suitable fasteners, such as rivets 53. Clips 51 are movable to a clearance position shown in broken lines at 51', so that the panel P can be readily removed. The upper ends of springs 53 may be used to clamp the lower end of a reflective means, such as a sheet of aluminum foil 54, with the upper end of reflective means 54 being held by . a support 56 for illumination means in the form of a plurality of lamps 55. As is shown in FIG. 2, further illumination means, in the form of a lamp 57 may be provided to illuminate the outer portion of the display device.

In use, if it is desired to use a rear display panel P in conjunction with an upper outer display panel P, the lower end of panel P is inserted behind retainer member 47, and spring clips 51 are moved downwardly to engage g the upper end of the panel P. The panel P is then inserted in the groove between legs 26 and 27 of channel 23, and one or more holding members 42 is then secured in place, it being understood that the lower end of panel P is supported on the projections 34α of member 34 at notches 46. The insert member 39 is then slid into place, with the upset portions 41 frictionally retaining the member 39 in place. Panel P may be formed of a translucent material having suitable display indicia thereon, so that when lamps 55 are energized, a desired display effect is created. 15 When a lower front panel P' is to be used in conjunction with an upper front panel P, the panel P' is placed in the groove in channels 23 prior to the insertions of panel P, and is releasably retained in place by the cooperative action of inserts 42 and member 39. In an il20 lustrative form of the invention, panels P' may take the form of a peg board, so that a particular product, leaflets, or advertising material can be mounted thereon.