US3706148A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Display assembly
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-01-21
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Granted: 1972-12-19
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Expires: 1991-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A display assembly comprises a plurality of display elements mounted on a framework in a composite array. Each display element is provided with a plurality of display surfaces having distinct appearance characteristics. The elements may be individually rotated on the supporting framework to any one of a plurality of display positions wherein one of its surfaces is in display orientation. Means are provided for facilitating this process by simultaneously tilting all elements out of their coplanar display orientation. Means are also provided for automatically returning all display elements to a predetermined tilted orientation corresponding to a predetermined composite pattern, said means being in the form of a display element engaging means movable between first and second positions. Each time said display element engaging means is thus moved the elements projecting into its path are rotated to their next position until they all reach the predetermined orientation in which they remain clear of the display element engaging means.
Inventors
- 👤 Shaun C Johnston
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:06
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F11/00; G09F11/02; G09F11/025; G09F9/00; G09F9/30; G09F9/37
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
371 words
A display assembly comprising a frame, a plurality of display elements, said display elements each having a plurality of operative display surfaces, each display surface of each of said display elements having a display appearance characteristic, support means adapted in a given position to mount said display elements in a two-dimensional array on said frame in a given display configuration, said display elements, in said given display configuration, having a plurality of stable positions in which said plurality of operative display surfaces, respectively, are viewable at one side of said frame, and being individually manually engageable at said one side of said frame and movable by said manual engagement successively to each of said plurality of stable positions, display element engaging means comprising a member movable in a direction parallel to the plane of said twodimensional array in a given path between first and second positions on said frame, said display elements in said given display configuration and in all but a given one of said stable positions thereof having a portion projecting into the path of movement of said display element engaging member, means on said display elements engaging said support means in said given one stable position of said given display configuration and effective to maintain said display elements clear of said path of said display element engaging means only in said one stable position corresponding to the viewable position of a given one of its operative display surfaces, successive reciprocal movements of said display element engaging member between said first and second positions being effective to engage said projecting portions of all of said display elements and to move same to successive stable positions thereof thereby to bring successive ones of said operative display surfaces into view until said given operative display surface is brought into view, whereupon further movement of said display element engaging means between said first and second positions is ineffective to produce further movemenT of said display elements, whereby said given operative display surface of all of said display elements may be brought into view by N-1 cycles of movement of said display element engaging means between said first and second positions, where N is the number of operative display surfaces on said elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
371 words
A display assembly comprising a frame, a plurality of display elements, said display elements each having a plurality of operative display surfaces, each display surface of each of said display elements having a display appearance characteristic, support means adapted in a given position to mount said display elements in a two-dimensional array on said frame in a given display configuration, said display elements, in said given display configuration, having a plurality of stable positions in which said plurality of operative display surfaces, respectively, are viewable at one side of said frame, and being individually manually engageable at said one side of said frame and movable by said manual engagement successively to each of said plurality of stable positions, display element engaging means comprising a member movable in a direction parallel to the plane of said twodimensional array in a given path between first and second positions on said frame, said display elements in said given display configuration and in all but a given one of said stable positions thereof having a portion projecting into the path of movement of said display element engaging member, means on said display elements engaging said support means in said given one stable position of said given display configuration and effective to maintain said display elements clear of said path of said display element engaging means only in said one stable position corresponding to the viewable position of a given one of its operative display surfaces, successive reciprocal movements of said display element engaging member between said first and second positions being effective to engage said projecting portions of all of said display elements and to move same to successive stable positions thereof thereby to bring successive ones of said operative display surfaces into view until said given operative display surface is brought into view, whereupon further movement of said display element engaging means between said first and second positions is ineffective to produce further movemenT of said display elements, whereby said given operative display surface of all of said display elements may be brought into view by N-1 cycles of movement of said display element engaging means between said first and second positions, where N is the number of operative display surfaces on said elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The display assembly of claim 1, wherein said display elements are arranged in a plurality of intersecting rows and columns, said support means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending support elements, each of said support elements supporting one row of display elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said display elements is provided with an aperture extending generally parallel to its operative display surfaces, said support elements extending through said apertures in said display elements in supporting relationship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
The display assembly of claim 3, wherein said display elements comprise hollow polygonal cylinders having N sides, each of the N sides thereof comprising one of said operative display surfaces and wherein said hollow comprises N internal surfaces, said support elements being adapted to operatively engage any one of said N internal surfaces adjacent the apex of intersecting internal surfaces in supporting relationship thereby to support said display elements in each of N stable positions in which said N operative display surfaces, respectively, are viewable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The display assembly of claim 4, further comprising projection means on one of said N internal surfaces adapted to operatively engage its associated support element in said given position in one of said N stable positions of said display elements, said projection means being effective to vary the angular orientation of said display element in said one stable position such that in said one stable position said display element is clear of the path of said display element engaging means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The display assembly of claim 5, wherein said support means is movable to a second position in which said display elements are mounted on said frame in a second display configuration in which said elements have N stable display positions corresponding respectively to said N stable display positions of said given display configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
128 words
The display assembly of claim 6, wherein said N internal surfaces are planar, said one internal surface extending between a first apex and a second apex of said hollow, said projection means projecting from only a portion of said one internal surface near said first apex, the remainder of said one internal surface near said second apex being planar, said supporting element in its given position being adapted to supportingly engage the projection on said one internal surface near said first apex and in said second position being adapted to supportingly engage said planar portion of said one internal surface near said second apex, whereby in said second position of said support element the viewable display surfaces in said N stable positions are disposed in identical angular orientation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The display assembly of claim 7, wherein all of said operative display surfaces in said second display configuration are coplanar.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The display assembly of claim 6, further comprising means to simultaneously move all of said support elements between said first and second positions thereby to simultaneously move all of said display elements from one to the other of said first and second display configurations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
The display assembly of claim 3, wherein said display elements comprise hollow triangular cylinders each of the three sides thereof including one of said operative display surfaces and wherein said hollow comprises three internal surfaces, said support elements being adapted to operatively engage any of said three internal surfaces adjacent the apex of intersecting internal surfaces in supporting relationship thereby to support said display elements in each of said three stable positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
The displAy assembly of claim 10, further comprising projection means on one of said three internal surfaces adapted to operatively engage its associated support element in said given position in one of said three stable positions of said display elements, said projection means being effective to vary the angular orientation of said display element in said one of its three stable positions such that in said one stable position said display element is clear of the path of said display element engaging means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The display assembly of claim 1, wherein said support means is movable to a second position effective to mount said display elements on said frame in a second display configuration in which said elements have a plurality of stable display positions corresponding respectively to said plurality of display positions of said given display configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The display assembly of claim 12, wherein said display elements are arranged in a plurality of intersecting rows and columns, said support means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending support elements, each of said support elements supporting one row of display elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The display assembly of claim 13, further comprising means to simultaneously move all of said support elements between said first and second positions thereby to simultaneously move all of said display elements from one to the other of said first and second display configurations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The display assembly of claim 13, wherein each of said display elements is provided with an aperture extending generally parallel to its operative display surface, said support elements extending through said apertures in said display elements in supporting relationship.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
78 words
The display assembly of claim 15, wherein said display elements comprise hollow triangular cylinders each of the three sides thereof including one of said operative display surfaces and wherein said hollow comprises three internal surfaces, said support elements being adapted to operatively engage any of said three internal surfaces adjacent the apex of intersecting internal surfaces in supporting relationship thereby to support said display elements in each of said three stable positions of said given and second configurations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
110 words
The display assembly of claim 16, wherein said means for maintaining said display elements clear of the path of said display element engaging means comprises projection means on one of said three internal surfaces adapted in said given position of said support elements to operatively engage its associated support element in one of said three stable positions of said display elements, said projection means being effective to vary the angular orientation of said display element in said one of its three stable positions of said given display element configuration such that in said one stable position said display element is clear of the path of said display element engaging means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
138 words
The display assembly of claim 17, wherein said three internal surfaces are planar, said one internal surface extending between a first apex and a second apex of said triangular display element, said projection means projecting from only a portion of said one of said internal surfaces near said first apex thereof, the remainder of said first internal surface near said second apex being planar, said supporting element in its given position being adapted to supportingly engage the projection on said one internal surface near said first apex and in said second position being adapted to supportingly engage said planar portion of said internal surface near said second apex, whereby in said second position of said supporting elements said viewable display surface is in an identical angular orientation for each of said three stable positions of said display element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The display assembly of claim 18, wherein all of said operative display surfaces in said second display configuration are coplanar.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The display assembly of claim 18, further comprises means to simultaneously move all of said support elements between said first and second positions thereby to simultaneously move all of said display elements from one to the other of said first and second display configurations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The display assembly of claim 12, wherein said display elements are arranged in a plurality of intersecting rows and columns, said support means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending support elements, each of said support elements supporting one row of display elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The display assembly of claim 21, further comprising means to simultaneously move all of said support elements between said first and second positions thereby to simultaneously move all of said display elements from one to the other of said first and second display configurations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-19 | 1976-06-19 | 1976-12-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-19 | 1980-06-19 | 1980-12-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-19 | 1984-06-19 | 1984-12-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |