Lightweight overhead beam for portable display structure

Claim 2

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a display panel, comprising: a) a header section made from relatively thin flexible plastic material adapted for displaying graphics, said header section having a longitudinal dimension with respective elongate edges which is at least five times its transverse dimension with respective shorter edges; b) means for attaching said header section to a display panel; c) a first elongate edge section having means for edgewise attachment to one of said header section elongate edges, said first edge section having longitudinal fold lines and means for attachment to form a closed three-dimensional channel along one of said header section elongate edges; and d) a second elongate edge section having means for edgewise attachment to the other of said header section elongate edges, said second edge section having longitudinal fold lines and means for attachment to form a closed three-dimensional channel along the other of said header section elongate edges.

Claim 3

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a frame, comprising: a) a header section of flexible material of elongate length with opposing, elongate edges, the header section being adaptable for displaying graphics; b) attachment means on the header section for attaching the header section to the frame; c) a pair of first and second foldable sections of flexible material of elongate length, each of the foldable sections having hinged and magnet-receiving elongate edges, the hinged edge of one of the foldable sections being hingedly connectable to one of the elongate edges of the header section and the hinged edge of the other foldable section being hingedly connectable to the other elongate edge of the header section, each of the bendable sections having an elongate magnetic strip running along its respective magnet-receiving edge, each of the bendable sections having at least two elongate seams, each of the foldable sections being foldable along the seams from a flat form to a folded form, and d) a pair of elongate magnetic strips on the header section for being magnetically connected to the magnetic strips of the bendable sections, one of the magnetic strips of the header section running along one of the elongate edges of the header section for cooperating with the magnetic strip of one of the foldable sections, the other magnetic strip of the header section being spaced from the other edge of the header section for cooperating with a magnetic strip of the other foldable section such that when the magnetic strips are connected the foldable sections are secured in their folded forms to create a pair of triangular tubular portions with the header section whereby the tubular portions lend stability to the header section.

Claim 4

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a frame, comprising: a) a header section of flexible material of elongate length with opposing, elongate edges, the header section being adaptable for displaying graphics; b) attachment means on the header section for attaching the header section to the frame; c) a pair of first and second foldable sections of flexible material of elongate length, each of the foldable sections having hinged and magnet-receiving elongate edges, the hinged edge of one of the foldable sections being hingedly connectable to one of the elongate edges of the header section and the hinged edge of the other foldable section being hingedly connectable to the other elongate edge of the header section, each of the bendable sections having an elongate magnetic strip running along its respective magnet-receiving edge, each of the bendable sections having at least two elongate seams, each of the foldable sections being foldable along the seams from a flat form to a folded form, and d) a pair of elongate magnetic strips on the header section for being magnetically connected to the magnetic strips of the bendable sections, one of the magnetic strips of the header section running along one of the elongate edges of the header section for cooperating with the magnetic strip of one of the foldable sections, the other magnetic strip of the header section being spaced from the other edge of the header section for cooperating with a magnetic strip of the other foldable section such that when the magnetic strips are connected the foldable sections are secured in their folded forms to create a pair of triangular tubular portions with the header section whereby the tubular portions lend stability to the header section.

Claim 5

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a display panel, comprising: a) a header section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, the header section being adaptable for displaying graphics; b) means for attaching the header section to the display panel; and c) at least one bendable section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, the bendable section being securable along an elongate edge of the header section, the bendable section being bendable from a flat form to a bent form.

Claim 6

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a display panel, comprising: a) a header section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, the header section being adaptable for displaying graphics; b) means for attaching the header section to the display panel; and c) at least one bendable section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, the bendable section being securable along an elongate edge of the header section, the bendable section being bendable from a flat form to a bent form.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the bendable section may be formed into a closed triangular shape and comprises at least three elongate planar sides, the bendable section forming two of the sides and the header section forming one of the sides.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the header section is translucent.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the header section is formed of a polycarbonate plastic.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the attachment means comprises a rigid plate affixed to each of the ends of the header section, and mechanical connection means connectable from each of the rigid plates to the display panel.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a pair of bendable sections are securable to the header section, each of the bendable sections being secured adjacent to one of the elongate edges of the header section such that a pair of bendable sections run along the edges of the header section.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein one of the bendable sections has a greater width dimension than the other bendable section to form closed bendable sections of greater and smaller dimensions.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the bendable section includes at least one elongate seam, the bendable section being foldable along the seam to create the bent form and closed tubular shape.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the elongate seam comprises a first elongate adhesive strip affixed between one of the edges of the bendable section and an elongate edge of the header section.

Claim 15

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a display panel, comprising: a) a header section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, the header section being adaptable for displaying graphics; b) means for attaching the header section to the display panel; c) a first bendable section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, one of the edges being hingedly connectable to one of the elongate edges of the header section, the bendable section being bendable from a flat form to a bent form, the sections lying in a common plane when the bendable section is disposed in the flat form; and d) a second bendable section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, and of the edges being hingedly connectable to the other of the elongate edges of the header section such that a pair of bendable sections respectively run along the edges of the header section.

Claim 16

A lightweight portable beam adapted for attachment to a display panel, comprising: a) a header section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, the header section being adaptable for displaying graphics; b) means for attaching the header section to the display panel; c) a first bendable section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, one of the edges being hingedly connectable to one of the elongate edges of the header section, the bendable section being bendable from a flat form to a bent form, the sections lying in a common plane when the bendable section is disposed in the flat form; and d) a second bendable section of flexible material of elongate length with elongate edges, and of the edges being hingedly connectable to the other of the elongate edges of the header section such that a pair of bendable sections respectively run along the edges of the header section.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the bendable sections are formable into a triangular form comprising at least three elongate planar sides, each bendable section forming two of the sides and the header section forming one of the sides.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the respective bendable sections each include at least one elongate seam, the bendable section being foldable along the seam to create the bent form.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one of the bendable sections has a greater width dimension than the other bendable section to form two tubular portions of greater and smaller dimensions.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first and second elongate edge sections and respective means for attachment cooperate to form respective closed three-dimensional channels having triangular cross sections.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the attachment means comprises a rigid plate affixed to each of the ends of the header section, and mechanical connection means extending from each of the rigid plates to the frame.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mechanical connection means is affixed to the rigid plate adhesive strips on the rigid plate and mechanical connection means.