US4375730A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reflective information display device
Assignee: Mead Corp
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Filing: 1981-10-05
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Granted: 1983-03-08
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Expires: 2001-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A display device such as is used to display automobile service station price data in which a support surface (26) provides a display area (22,23,24,25) and an adjustable information strip (39) is slideable across the support face to present different information characters (40) in the display area and a reflective surface carried by the support face to reflect light through either translucent characters on opaque background areas of the strip or through translucent background areas of the strip having opaque characters.
Inventors
- 👤 Carlos L. Sanders
- 👤 James L. Gebhardt
- 👤 Ferris L. Hutchins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:40
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F11/00; G09F11/24; G09F11/29; G09F3/00; G09F3/08; G09F3/18; G09F3/20; G09F7/00; G09F2007/007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A display device comprising a series of at least two support surfaces, each support surface defining at least in part, a display area, and including an adjustable information bearing self-coiling tape having coiled portions at its opposite ends mounted for movement relative to said support surface, said strip having thereon a series of areas defined by characters and a series of areas adjacent the characters, wherein one of said series of areas is translucent, said strip being mounted for slideable movement relative to the support surface so that said characters can be sequentially presented in the display area, and a light reflective surface disposed behind the strip in the display area whereby light impinging on said reflective surface is transmitted through the translucent area of the strip present in the display area and wherein said support surfaces together with their respective information strips are arranged in side by side relationship, adjacent support surfaces being interconnected by a spacer means including a strip retaining flange, said flange being disposed in overlapping relationship with respect to adjacent strips at edge portions of their respective support faces, said spacer means including adjusting means for moving said retaining flange towards and away from the strip whereby the strip can be held locked against its associated reflective surface and released for sliding movement with respect to its associated reflective surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A display device comprising a series of at least two support surfaces, each support surface defining at least in part, a display area, and including an adjustable information bearing self-coiling tape having coiled portions at its opposite ends mounted for movement relative to said support surface, said strip having thereon a series of areas defined by characters and a series of areas adjacent the characters, wherein one of said series of areas is translucent, said strip being mounted for slideable movement relative to the support surface so that said characters can be sequentially presented in the display area, and a light reflective surface disposed behind the strip in the display area whereby light impinging on said reflective surface is transmitted through the translucent area of the strip present in the display area and wherein said support surfaces together with their respective information strips are arranged in side by side relationship, adjacent support surfaces being interconnected by a spacer means including a strip retaining flange, said flange being disposed in overlapping relationship with respect to adjacent strips at edge portions of their respective support faces, said spacer means including adjusting means for moving said retaining flange towards and away from the strip whereby the strip can be held locked against its associated reflective surface and released for sliding movement with respect to its associated reflective surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
104 words
A display device according to claim 1 wherein a series of at least two support surfaces together with their respective information strips are arranged in side by side relationship, adjacent support surfaces being interconnected by a spacer means including a strip retaining flange said flange being disposed in overlapping relationship with respect to adjacent strips at edge portions of their respective support faces, said spacer means including adjusting means for moving said retaining flange towards and away from the strip whereby the strip can be held locked against its associated reflective surface and released for sliding movement with respect to its associated reflective surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein a further series of support surfaces together with their respective information strips and interconnecting spacer elements is mounted substantially parallel to and spaced from the first mentioned series with the display areas of the respective series facing in opposite directions, both said series being mounted in a surrounding frame and wherein the support surfaces of the one series are out of register with the support surfaces of the other series whereby the neighbouring coiled ends of adjacent strips in one series are located between the opposite coiled ends of a strip in the other series.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
A display device according to claim 3 wherein said spacer means each comprise a generally T-shaped component and wherein each support surface is provided by a substantially channel shaped element in which the support surface is constituted by the web interconnecting the legs of the channel, the web extending in opposite directions beyond each leg so that the legs are spaced inwardly from the edges of the web and wherein the coiled ends of each strip are accommodated within a cavity provided between one leg of a channel element and the stem of the adjacent T-shaped component.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
A display device comprising a series of support surfaces each defining at least in part a display area and being connected to an adjacent support surface by a spacer element, an adjustable information strip mounted for slideable movement relative to the support surface in each display area, each of said strips comprising a series of areas defined by characters and a series of areas adjacent the characters, wherein one of said series of areas is translucent, and each of said information strips having a coiled portion at its opposite ends and wherein a further series of support surfaces together with their respective information strips and interconnecting spacer elements is mounted substantially parallel to and spaced from the first mentioned series with the display areas of the respective series facing in opposite directions, the support surfaces of one series being out of register with the support surfaces of the other series whereby neighbouring coiled ends of adjacent strips in one series are located between the opposite coiled ends of a strip in the other series.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
A display device comprising a series of support surfaces each defining at least in part a display area and being connected to an adjacent support surface by a spacer element, an adjustable information strip mounted for slideable movement relative to the support surface in each display area, each of said strips comprising a series of areas defined by characters and a series of areas adjacent the characters, wherein one of said series of areas is translucent, and each of said information strips having a coiled portion at its opposite ends and wherein a further series of support surfaces together with their respective information strips and interconnecting spacer elements is mounted substantially parallel to and spaced from the first mentioned series with the display areas of the respective series facing in opposite directions, the support surfaces of one series being out of register with the support surfaces of the other series whereby neighbouring coiled ends of adjacent strips in one series are located between the opposite coiled ends of a strip in the other series.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A display according to claim 1 in which the characters are translucent and the areas adjacent the characters are opaque.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A display device according to claim 6 in which the characters are opaque and the areas adjacent the characters are translucent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A display device according to claim 6 in which the strip is a self-coiling tape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A display device according to claim 1 in which each support surface is substantially flat and wherein the side edges of each support surface are rounded to enhance the sliding motion of the strip with respect to the support surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A display device according to claim 7 in which a material having a low coefficient of friction is interposed between each support surface and its associated strip.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
A display device according to claim 7 wherein each spacer means includes a strip retaining flange said flange being disposed in overlapping relationship with respect to adjacent strips at edge portions of their respective support faces said spacer means including adjusting means for moving said retaining flange towards and away from the strip whereby the strip can be held locked against its associated suport surface and released for sliding movement with respect to its associated support surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
98 words
A display device according to claim 1 in which said spacer means each comprise a generally T-shaped component and wherein each support surface is provided by a substantially channel shaped element in which the support surface is constituted by the web interconnecting the legs of the channel, the web extending in opposite directions beyond each leg so that the legs are spaced inwardly from the edges of the web and wherein the coiled ends of each strip are accommodated within a cavity provided between one leg of a channel element and the stem of the adjacent T-shaped component.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A display device according to claim 2 in which a source of illumination is provided between the series of display areas so that light is transmitted through the translucent areas of the strip.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A display device according to claim 5 wherein a light reflective surface is disposed behind the strip in each display area whereby light impinging on said reflective surface is transmitted through the translucent area of the strip present in said display area.
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) | 1986-03-07 | 1986-09-06 | 1987-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-03-07 | 1990-09-06 | 1991-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-03-07 | 1994-09-06 | 1995-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |