Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to display signs and more
particularly illuminated display signs. Specifically, an
illuminated display sign for mounting on the interior of a
passenger vehicle is disclosed.
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BAC~ROUND OF TH~ INVFNTION
It is common practise in modern society to place highly
visible advertisements almost anywhere where the general public
will be exposed to them. It is common to find advertising on the
exterior of public passenger vehicles such as taxies and buses.
Such advertising is generally in the form of large flat signs
1 15 removably fastened to the exterior of the vehicle.
i Further, larger public vehicles such as buses have
; display signs located in the interior thereof. These signs are
usually placed over the windows along the sides of a bus. Such
signs are also usually illuminated. Smaller public vehicles,
such as taxies, do not generally have such signs due to the
limited amount of space available. Taxies presently do have
display signs, however, on the exterior thereof, including the
illuminated display sign on top of the roof of the taxi that
typically indicates the name of the taxi cab company and the
telephone number. It is believed that there are no presently
available advertising display signs for positioning in the
interior of taxies.
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It would be preferable that any display signs used in
the interior of taxies be illuminated as are many display signs
in larger public vehicles such as buses, so as to be more readily
apparent, especially in the evening or at night.
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Further, it would be preferable to have such a sign
mounted transversely across the passenger compartment of the taxi
so as to be in the line of sight of a passenger sitting in the
rear seat of the taxi. However, such mounting must not unduly
impede the rearward visibility of the driver.
Mounting articles such as signs at the interior of an
automobile, typically a taxi, is difficult to do because the
ceiling lining material precludes direct access to the metal
lS structure of the roof. Further, there are limited places to
mount a display sign on the metal structure of the ceiling so as
to be rigidly supported by the ceiling and so as not to unduly
intrude into the passenger area of the vehicle. Typically only
the dome light mount (with the dome light cover removed) would
provide a suitable mounting location, with ready provision for
electrical connection of illumination means within the sign to
the original wiring of the dome lamp. It is generally not
acceptable to mount a display sign to the ceiling with fasteners
that penetrate the roof. Further, it is most likely
unacceptable, or at least highly undesirable, to mount the
display sign to the ceiling by a non-puncturing means such as
welding, as this makes removal of the display sign difficult, as
` where the taxi is converted to private use.
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one solution to mounting a display sign at the ceiling
of a car transversely thereacross would be to mount the display
sign to other parts of the automobile that are positioned near
the area of the ceiling. The nearest parts of the vehicle to be
positioned as such are the vertically displaced pillars between
the front and back doors of a four door vehicle.
These pillars are typically each covered by a moulded
plastic trim. The top edge of these covers is typically located
near the level of the top of the door. The covers extend
downwardly therefrom, such that the bottom thereof is typically
located at the level of the floor of the passenger vehicle. A
small slot-like space exists between the plastic trim covers and
the respective pillar underlying each cover. This space between
the plastic trim cover and the respective pillar is suitable for
insertion of a slender object therein and can thereby be used for
the mounting of a display sign.
A display sign that is located in a public vehicle,
such as a taxi, must however permit periodic changing of any
display means such as an advertisement, that is part of the
display sign.
Preferably, access to the interior of the display sign
is gained quite easily so as to minimize any problems with
removing and replacing any display means therein.
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8UMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
display sign for mounting within passenger vehicles.
It is another object of the present invention to
provide a display sign for mounting within automobiles,
specifically taxies.
It is yet another object of the present invention to
provide an illuminated display sign for mounting in taxies.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to
lS provide a display sign for mounting in a taxi that is easily
mounted transversely across the interior at the ceiling thereof,
and which converts to the existing electrical wiring from the
dome lamp of the taxi to provide for illumination of the display
sign.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a display sign for mounting in taxies, which is mounted
at the pillars between the front and back doors of a four door
` vehicle.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a display sign for mounting in taxies, which has inserts
for insertion behind the plastic trim covers over the pillars
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between the front and back doors of the vehicle so as to provide
for quick and easy installation of the display sign in the taxi
without the need for supplementary attachment or affixation
means.
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It is yet a further object of the invention to provide
a display sign for mounting in taxies with the display sign
having removable and replaceable display means.
~0 It is yet a further object of the invention to provide
a display sign for mounting in taxies with the display sign
having easily accessible display means for maintenance and
replacement of the materials displayed therein.
~S Other objects, features and characteristics of the
present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions
of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of
parte and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent
upon consideration of the following detailed description and the
appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all
of which form a part of this specification.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention,
a display sign for mounting at the ceiling of a passenger vehicle
25~ having a front seat area and a rear seat area, is disclosed. The
display sign co~prises a mounting member and a cover-member, with
the mounting member comprising a first insertion member, a second
insertion member and a spanning portion therebetween. The
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spanning portion joins the first and second insertion members and
is further adapted for secure attachment to the ceiling of the
passenger vehicle. The mounting member also comprises a support
means adapted to receive the cover member in supporting relation.
S The cover member has a first panel and a second panel, the first
panel facing substantially rearwardly in the passenger vehicle
and the second panel facing substantially forwardly in the
passenger vehicle. The first panel has at least one display
means associated therewith, and has a support receiving means
adapted to be received in supporting relation by the support
means of the mounting member. The first and second insertion
members extend generally outwardly and downwardly from the
spanning portion of the mounting member and are adapted for
insertion at the pillars of a passenger vehicle behind the
plastic trim coverings thereof to hold the mounting member in
place at the ceiling of the passenger vehicle. Additionally, the
mounting member is adapted for secure attachment of the spanning
portion to the ceiling of the passenger vehicle. The mounting
member supports the cover member in place at the ceiling of the
passenger vehicle such that the display means is visible from the
rear seat area of the passenger vehicle.
DETAILED DE8CRIPTION OF A PREFERRED E~BODI~ENT
Introduction to the Drawings
Figure 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment
of a display sign according to the present invention from the
lower right rear thereof;
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Figure 2 is an isometric outline view of a typical
passenger vehicle having the display sign of Figure 1 mounted
therein at the ceiling area thereof;
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S Figure 3 is a partially cut away outline side view of
the passenger vehicle of Figure 2;
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Figur- ~ is an exploded isometric view of the display
sign of Figure 1 from the lower right front thereof;
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Figure 5 is a partial view of one end of the display
sign of Figure 1, with one insertion member of the mounting
member partially inserted at the pillar of the passenger vehicle
behind the plastic trim covering thereof;
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, with one
insertion member of the mounting member fully inserted into the
pillar behind the plastic trim covering thereof;
~ 20 Figure 7 is a sectional side view of the display sign
- of Figure 1 showing a selectively operable vehicle light
illuminating forwardly and the display means displaying
rearwardly; and,
Figure 8 is a side view similar to Figure 7, but
showing the support receiving means of the second panel being
released from the support means of the mounting member, thus
allowing access to the interior of the display sign.
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Reference will now be made to Figures 1-3 which show
a preferred embodiment of a display sign according to the present
invention, indicated by the general reference numeral 20, mounted
within a passenger vehicle 22, typically a taxi, at the ceiling
S 24 thereof. The display sign 20 has one or more display means
26 thereon, which will be subsequently described in more detail.
The display means 26 face substantially rearwardly toward the
rear seat area 23 of the passenger vehicle 22, so as to be
visible to passenger seated in the rear seat area 23. A
selectively operable vehicle light 28, having an on-off switch
29 is mounted on a second panel 54 and faces substantially
forwardly toward the front seat area Z5 of the passenger vehicle
22 so as to selectively illuminate the front seat area 25, and
to thereby have the same function as a standard dome light in a
passenger vehicle. It can be seen that the display sign 20 is
mounted at the pillars 60 of the passenger vehicle 22, as will
be described in greater detail subsequently.
Reference will now be made to Figur- ~ to more
specifically describe the display sign 20 of the present
invention. The display sign 20 comprises a mounting member 30
and a cover member 50, with the cover member 50 being removably
attachable to the mounting member 30. The mounting member 30 has
a first insertion member 32 and a second insertion member 34.
A spanning portion 36 spans between the first insertion member
32 and the second insertion member 34 so as to join the first 32
and second 34 insertion members to each other. The mounting
member 30 is preferably made from a single piece of flexible
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sheet metal or flexible plastic. The first 32 and second 34
insertion members extend generally outwardly and downwardly from
the spanning portion 36 of the mounting member 30 and are adapted
for insertion at the so called "B" pillars 60 of the passenger
vehicle 22, behind the plastic trim coverings 62 thereof. The
spanning portion 36 is further adapted for secure attachment to
the ceiling 24 the passenger vehicle 22 by way of an aperture 37
and screw holes 39. The aperture 37 is adapted to receive the
dome light mount 66 of the passenger vehicle 22 thereat. The
mounting member 30 is thereby adapted to be mounted to the pre-
existing dome light mount 66 with the originally existing dome
light cover 67 removed. Typically, there are a plurality of
screw holes 68 in the dome light mount 66 that are located in
cooperating relation with the screw holes 39 in the spanning
lS portion 36, so as to allow the spanning portion 36 of the
mounting member 30 to be threadably connected to the dome light
mount 66 by threaded fasteners 69. The dome light mount 66 is
often the only suitable place in the ceiling of a vehicle for
such threadably engaged attachment. The spanning portion 36 may
be attached by threaded fasteners at other locations if
appropriate. Moreover, tack-welding of the spanning portion 36
to the dome light mount 36, or indeed, the metal skin 31 of the
vehicle's roof is possible, although less preferable. Thus, the
mounting member 30 is preferably held in place at the ceiling 24
of the passenger vehicle 22 by the first 32 and second 34
insertion members and the secure attachment of the spanning
portion 36 to the dome light mount 66.
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The mounting member 30 has a first support flange 40
and a second support flange 42 formed as an integral part
thereof. These first 40 and second 42 support flanges extend
inwardly from the rear 41 and front 43 edges, respectively, of
the mounting member 30 and thus form a support means that is
adapted to receive in supporting relation the cover member 50.
In this manner, the mounting member 30 thereby supports the cover
member 50 in place at the ceiling 24 of the passenger vehicle 22,
as will be described in greater detail subsequently, such that
the display means 26 is visible from the rear seat area of said
pas6enger vehicle 22.
The cover member 50 has a first panel 52 and a second
panel 54, which are contiguous with one another in the preferred
embodiment illustrated. The first panel 52 faces substantially
rearwardly toward the rear seat area 23 and the second panel 54
faces substantially forwardly toward the rear seat area 25 when
the display sign 20 is mounted as shown according to the present
invention in the passenger vehicle 22. The first panel 52 of the
cover member 50 presents a number of openings 54 through which
the display means 26 are visible. The display means 26 are
removably mounted behind the first panel 52, as described more
fully below. The mounting member 50 and the cover member 50 are
shaped such that when the cover member 50 is mounted on the
25~ mounting member 30, a substantially hollow interior 46 is formed
- therebetween. This hollow interior 46 contains an illumination
means described in greater detail below.
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Preferably, the display means 26 comprises a light
transmitting material 27 removably placed behind the openings 53
in the first panel 54, thereby to display information contained
on the light transmitting material 27. Typically, the light
transmitting material 27 would be a piece of translucent plastic
material, such as mylar, with advertisements printed or
photographically reproduced thereon. The light transmitting
material 27 is preferably retained in removable relation behind
the first panel 54 by means of a transparent plastic sheath 33
of U-shaped cross-section, which frictionally, but removably,
retains the sheet of light transmitting material 27 between its
arms. The sheath is glued or otherwise permanently affixed to
the inside of the first panel 52 as best seen in Figures 7 and
8. Thus, the advertisements would be visible from the rear seat
15 area 23, and would therefore, be readily noticed by a passenger
sitting in the rear seat of the taxi.
The first 52 and second 54 panels o the cover member
50 have first 56 and second 58 receiving flanges respectively
positioned one each on the first 52 and second 54 panels. The
first 56 and second 58 receiving flanges extend inwardly from the
rear 57 and front 59 edges thereof respectively and form a
support receiving means that is adapted to be received in
supporting relation by the support means. The first support
flange 40 and the second support flange 42 receive in supporting
relation a respective one of the first receiving flange 56 and
the second receiving flange 58. The cover member 50 is thereby
supported in removably attachable relation by the mounting member
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30 in place at the ceiling 24 of the passenger vehicle 24.
The display sign 20 further preferably comprises
illumination means in the form of a plurality of lights 70
distributed about the interior of the display sign 20, preferably
distributed substantially along the length thereof. The lights
70 are wired to the existing wiring for the otherwise existing
-dome light after removal of the dome light cover 67. The
plurality of lights 70 is typically a light bar that is readily
commercially available. Such light bars provide substantially
even low-voltage illumination along the entire length of the
interior of the display sign 20.
The display sign 20 is installed in the following
lS general manner, as will be best seen in Figures 5 and 6. The
first insertion member 32 of the first mounting member 30 is
carefully inserted into the space between one of the pillars 60
and plastic trim coverings 62, until it is fully seated between
the pillar 60 and the plastic trim covering 62. The plastic trim
covering 62 may be partially removed from the pillar 60 to help
facilitate insertion of the first insertion member 32. The
second insertion member 34 is then inserted into the space
between the other pillar 60, and the respective plastic trim
-~ covering 62 at the opposite side of the passenger vehicle 22.
It may be necessary to flex the mounting member 30 in order to
insert the second insertion member 34, in which case the cover
member 50 may be temporarily removed therefrom. Alternatively,
the second insertion member 34 may be inserted before the first
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insertion member 34. Self-topping metal screws (not shown) may
be optionally used to secure the first 32 and second 34 insertion
members to the respective pillars 60, if such additional
securement is felt desirable.
The preferred method of removal and replacement of a
piece of light transmitting material 27, which forms a display
means advertisement, will now be described with reference to
Figures 7 and 8. The first panel 52 of the cover member 50 is
pushed inwardly such that the first receiving flange 56 is no
longer received in supporting relation by the first support
flange 40. The cover member 50 is then lowered in a pivotal
manner s~ch that the transparent sheath 33 and the light
transmitting material 27 are fully accessible. The piece of
light transmitting material 27 is slid upwardly and replaced by
a replacement piece of light transmitting material 27 with
different advertisements or artwork etc. thereon. The cover
member 50 i8 then pivoted upwardly such that the first receiving
flange 56 re-engages the first support flange 40. The interior
46 may also be accessed in the same manner for general
maintenance of the display sign 20.
In an alternative embodiment, it is contemplated that
the mounting member and the cover member are one integral piece,
preferably made of flexible material, operably joined together
along a portion thereof so as to allow access to the interior
thereof.
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In another alternative embodiment, it is contemplatedthat the mounting member supports the cover member in place at
the ceiling of a passenger vehicle by way of a fastening means
such as VELCRO~.
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