Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: EDGING FOR SIGN CASING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to sign edging and more particularly, it
pertains to sigm edging that clips in place on a perimeter of a sign casing in
a single movement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flexible face signs of the type related to the present invention have
their face material stretched across an opening in a sign frame and
anchored to the periphery of the sign's opening. Holding devices are
attached at intervals along the face material and are generally made to
engage into a slot along the sign frame or casing to affix the face material
l0 to the casing. The holding devices and the slot are covered with a cap or
molding that enhances the general appearance of the sign. These corner
caps or moldings, hereinafter referred to as sign edging, are commonly held
to the signs frame with screws, or by an interlocking engagement of mating
lips and grooves.
Examples of sign edging of the prior art are disclosed in US Pat.
5,255,459 issued on October 26, 1993, and in US Pat. 5,669,166, issued on
September 23, 1997, both to Normand Verret, the inventor of the present
invention. In these inventions, the edging clips in place over a sign frame
and is held there by the interference of two pairs of opposing lips.
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Various other types of sign edging are known in the art, and for
reference purposes, other examples of sign edging of the prior art are
disclosed in US Pat. 5,301,447 issued on April 12, 1994 to H.R. Lotter et
al, and in US Pat. 5,647,155 issued on July 15, 1997 to D.U. Hillstrom.
In both the latter-mentioned structures, it is believed that the sign
edging must be deformed slightly to engage onto retaining lips on the sign
casing. The installation requires applying pressure from two directions in
order to clip the edging in place. A sign edging of the prior art is typically
installed by pushing or pulling it in a direction perpendicular to the sign
face, and by simultaneously twisting or pressing it in a direction tangential
to the sib face.
These movements are not always readily understood by trades-
people. These movements require some training which is not always
available to the one-time subcontractor installing a sign of that type, or to
the maintenance person tending to the sign therafter. As a result, the
edging is often improperly removed causing damage to the engaging lips,
or is not properly re-installed, leading to premature deterioration of the
sigm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, however, there is provided a sign edging
that has a structure which allows its installation and removal from a sign
casing in a single motion. This motion is readily understandable by trades-
people, and virtually eliminates all possibilities of improperly removing or
re-installing the edging from or on a sign casing.
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In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sign
casing comprising a structural frame defining a front plane and a planar
opening in that front plane. The structural frame has a cleft extending
around the front plane. The cleft has a depth dimension extending in a
direction substantially parallel to the front plane. The cleft has latching
member mounted therein. The sign casing also comprises an edging
bordering the planar opening. The edging comprises a flat strip for
covering an edge of the planar opening and a latch blade extending
perpendicularly from the flat strip. The latch blade has a longitudinal bulge
l0 thereon which is engagedly mountable in the latching member of the cleft
such that the edging is mountable to the structural frame by simply pushing
the blade into the cleft.
The installation of the edging over a structural frame of a sign does
not require any tool or elaborate instruction. The mounting of the edging
on the sign casing is effected by aligning the blade into the cleft and by
manually pressing the edging against the sign frame to force the bulge on
the blade into the latching member in the cleft. A procedure for installing
the edging of the present invention is understandable in a glance and
generally, written installation instructions are not required.
In another aspect of the present invention the structural frame has
a longitudinal cavity therein and a longitudinal gap leading to the cavity.
The cleft is mounted inside the cavity. The edging comprises a guide lip
spaced apart from the latch blade at a distance which is substantially
similar to a width of the gap. The guide lip is usable for guiding the blade
into the cavity. Hence, the edging of the present invention is installable in
all types of weather when tradespeople must wear gloves or mitts for
example, or at dusk when the visibility is somewhat reduced. A proper
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alignment of the blade is guided by the guide lip. The guide lip is
also useful for preventing loosening of the latched connection
between the latch blade and the cleft, during periods of high winds
for example, where the face material of the sign may flap in and
out excessively.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the edging of
the sign casing of the present invention comprises a portion
extending at substantially right angle with the flat strip and over
the front plane of the sign. This portion has a flat surface or a
convex or compound curvature, and may comprise decorative
raised patters thereon. The edging of the present invention is
thereby usable for enhancing the visual aspects of a sign.
The sign edging of the present invention is simple to
manufacture and provides a strong hold to the sign casing. The
sign edging is adaptable to most signs having their face materials
held by gripping devices mounted in serrated slots in a sign casing.
In accordance with a yet further aspect of the present
invention there is provided in combination, an extruded member
for framing a sign casing and an edging means for covering an
edge of sign casing; said extruder member comprising a cleft
extending along a front plane structurally defined in the sign
casing, said cleft having latching means mounted therein; and said
edging means comprising a flat strip and a blade extending
perpendicularly from said flat strip; said blade having locking
means engagedly mountable in said latching mean of said cleft;
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such that said edging means is mountable to said extruded member
by pushing said blade into said cleft.
In accordance with a yet further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an edging for covering an edge of a
sign casing, comprising a flat strip and a longitudinal blade
extending perpendicularly from said flat strip; said blade having a
longitudinal bulge there-along for latching into a cleavage in a sign
frame when a sign frame has said cleavage extending along a front
plane structurally defined in the sign casing and when said blade is
inserted in said cleavage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment of the invention will be further
understood from the following description, with reference to the
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a rectangular sign of the type related to the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-section of the extruded member as viewed
along line 2-2 in FIG. 1, and illustrating the installation of a sign
edging of a first type;
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FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a sign edging of a second type;
FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a sign edging of a third type;
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-section of an extruded member used for framing
a sigm of the type shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 illustrates an installation of a flex holder in the slot of an extruded
member and an installation of a sign edging of a first type to this
extruded member;
FIG. 7 illustrates a preferred method for removing a sign edging from an
extruded member;
1 o FIG. 8 illustrates a preferred method for removing a flex holder from the
serrated slot of an extruded member;
FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of a retrofit extruded member used for
installing a sign casing of the type related to the present invention
to an exlshng structure;
FIG. 10 is a partial cross-section of a sign casing of the type illustrated in
FIG. 1, showing a portion of a C-frame used for retaining opposing
extruded members in a fixed spaced-apart relationship with one-
another;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an arm member used for stiffening the
structure illustrated in FIG. 10.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The sign casing of the preferred embodiment is a full face sign
wherein the non-illuminated portion thereof is limited to a very narrow
strip bordering the sign face. This type of sign casing is referred to in the
sign industry as having a frameless sign face. The frame surrounding the
sign face is referred to in the trade as a frameless extruded member, or a
frameless extrusion and is generally made of aluminium.
The edging of the sign casing of the preferred embodiment is also
l0 generally made of aluminium and is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and in particular in FIG. 1 to 7. It will be appreciated by those
knowledgeable in the art that several types of plastic materials may also be
appropriate for manufacturing the extruded members and the sign edging
described herein. As mentioned above, the sign casing has a frameless sign
face 20, a light source (not shown), a framing structure 22 defining a sign
opening, frameless extruded members 24 bordering the sign opening and
a flexible face material 26 stretched across the opening of the sign by
means of a plurality of flex holders 28 engaged within a slot 30 in the
extruded members 24 around the sign face.
The framing of an edge of the sign casing of the preferred
embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, comprises the frameless extruded
member 24 and a sign edging 32. The slot 30 in the extruded member 24
has a rectangular cross-section and extends lengthwise along the extruded
member 24. The longer cross-section dimension of the slot 30 makes an
acute angle with the face material 26. The slot 30 has serration 34 on an
inside wall thereof, for retaining several flex holders 28 in a manner which
is described in the U.S. Patent 5,255,459 issued on Oct. 26, 1993 to the
inventor of the instant patent application.
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The extruded member 24 has a longitudinal gap 40 there-along. The
lon~ritudinal gap 40 has a transversal dimension of a first extent identified
as label "A" in FIG. 5. The gap 40 leads into a longitudinal cavity 42
adjacent the serrated wall 34 of slot 30.
The gap 40 has on a first side thereof nearest to the sign face, a first
lip 44 having a sharp edge and extending perpendicularly backward relative
to the sib face along an outside surface of the extruded member 24. The
first lip 44 extends parallel to a reference outside surface 'C' of the
1 o extruded member 24 at a distance 'D' toward the inside region of the sign
casing relative to the reference surface'C'. On the opposite side of the first
lip 44 the gap 40 is defined by a straight wall 46 extending parallel to the
sign face. The first lip 44, the straight wall 46 and the backside of the
serrated wall 34 define the longitudinal cavity 42 communicating with the
gap 40.
A longitudinal ledge 50 extends from the bottom region of the cavity
42 in a direction substantially parallel to the straight wall 46, near the
straight wall. The ledge 50 has an enlarged arrow-like portion 52 along the
vertex thereof, defining with the straight wall 46 a cleavage having a taper
opening and a tight gap contiguous with the taper opening. The cleavage
defined by the ledge 50, the enlarged arrow-like portion 52 and the straight
wall 46 are hereinafter referred to as the lock cleft 54.
The edging 32 has a straight portion 60 for covering the gap 40 and
the slot 30. The thickness of the straight portion 60 is substantially the
same as the distance 'D' between a projection of the first lip 44 and a
projection of the reference outside surface 'C' of the extruded member 24.
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Therefore, when the edging 32 is installed on the extruded member, the
entire width of the outside surface of the sign casing is flat.
The straight portion 60 has on a rear region thereof relative to the
sign casing, a guide lip 62 and a latch blade 64, both extending at right
angle with the straight portion 60 toward an inside surface of the edging 32
relative to a mounting of the edging on a sign casing. The guide lip 62 and
latch blade 64 are spaced apart a distance 'B' which is substantially the
same as the width 'A' of gap 40.
The guide lip 62 has a pointed tip and a straight edge 66 along a
1 o base portion thereof and which is perpendicular to the straight portion
60.
The guide lip 62 is adapted to slide against the edge of the first lip 44 as
illustrated in FIG. 2, in order to guide the latch blade 64 into the lock
cleft
54.
The latch blade 64 is longer than the guide lip 62. The latch blade
64 has a longitudinal bulge 68 on an end thereof and an appropriate length
such that the bulge 68 can be inserted into the lock cleft 54. The thickness
of the bulge 68 is substantially the same as the tight gap in the lock cleft
54, such that the longitudinal bulge 68 is movable into the lock cleft 54 and
is retainable inside the lock cleft 54 by the enlarged arrow-like portion 52
of the ledge 50.
The latch blade 64 is slightly curved forwardly as illustrated in FIG.
2-4, 6 and 7. The latch blade 64 is relatively thin and resiliently flexible
in a rearward direction relative to the sign face such that the longitudinal
bulge 68 is slidable into the lock cleft 54 over the arrow-like taper portion
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52, to form an interfering engagement with the enlarged portion 52 and to
enhance a locking connection into the lock cleft 54. The longitudinal bulge
68 and the arrow-like portion 52 have rounded edges such that the latch
blade 64 is slidable into the lock cleft 54 in a smooth latching motion, and
is seized therein by the resiliency of the ledge 50 and of the latch blade 64
acting against one-another. The interference between the longitudinal
bulge 68 and the arrow-like enlarged portion 52, and the interference of the
shoulder 66 with the sharp edge of the guide lip 44 cooperate for retaining
the edging 32 to the extruded member 24.
Referring now to FIG. 3 and 4, the edging of the sign casing of the
preferred embodiment may have several shapes to vary the appearance of
sigms manufactured therewith. For examples, the edging 33 in FIG. 3 has
a straight portion 60 and a curved portion 70 extending from the straight
portion 60. The curved portion 70 is convex in shape and may have
decorative ridges or raised patterns 72 therealong for enhancing the
appearance of the sign having such edging mounted thereon.
The edging 34 illustrated in FIG. 4 also has a straight portion 60 and
a flat edge 74 making a right angle with the straight portion 60. The flat
edge 74 is normally used to promote an appearance of strength and
durability of a sign by suggesting the presence of a wide frame along the
perimeter of the sign face.
Referring specifically to FIG. 2, 6 and 7, and according to the
previous teachings in the present disclosure, the edging 32,33 or 34 is
attachable to the extruded member 24 without fasteners. However, the
width of the first lip 44 is sufficient for overlapping the straight portion
60
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of the edging and allowing the optional installation of screws 76 in few
places along the sign casing for positively fastening the edging to the
extruded member 24. The provision of screws 76 through the edging is
recommended only for sign installations in regions of high winds, or where
one wishes to prevent vandals from removing the edging 32,33 or 34 from
the sigm casing and damaging the sign. Otherwise, the edging 32,33 or 34
is simply pushed into the gap 40 as illustrated in FIG. 6, and locked in
place by the engagement of the guide lip 62 and latch blade 64 with the
structure of the cavity 42. The positive engagement of the edging 32,33 or
l0 34 with the extruded member 24 is resistant against most conditions
encountered by an installed sign.
A clockwise twisting of the edging strip 32 when looking at FIG. 2
and 7 for example, is prevented by the engagement of the guide lip 62 with
the first lip 44 and by the contact of the front edge of the edging 32 against
the front edge of the extruded member 24. Similarly, a counterclockwise
twisting of the edging 32 when looking at FIG. 2, is prevented by the
engagement of the first and guide lips 44,62 and by the contact of the base
portion 80 of the latch blade 64 against the outer portion of the straight
wall 46.
The removal of the edging 32,33 or 34 from the extruded member
24 is effected by prying it out of the cavity 42 with a screwdriver 82, or
other flat tools, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The edging 32,33 or 34 has a
longitudinal crest 84 connected to the straight portion 60 and extending
lengthwise and rearward relative to the sign face. The removal of the
edging 32,33 or 34 is effected by inserting the blade 88 of the screwdriver
82 under the longitudinal crest 84 and prying the blade against the extruded
member 24 as illustrated in FIG. 7. For this purpose, the straight wall 46
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is shorter than the length of the latch blade 64, and forms a generous
chamfer 86 with the outside surface of the extruded member 24. A
screwdriver blade 88 is thereby easily inserted under the crest 84 of the
edging when the edging 32,33 or 34 is mounted to the extruded member 24.
When the edging 32,33 or 34 is removed from the extruded member
24, the slot 30 of the extruded member 24 is accessible for inserting a flex
holder 28 therein as illustrated in FIG. 6, or for removing a flex holder 28
out of the slot 30 using a screwdriver 82, as illustrated in FIG. 8.
It will be appreciated by the person lmowledgeable in the art that the
l0 extruded member 24 may be an integral part of a side member 90 of the
sign casing as illustrated in FIG. 10, or it could be manufactured as a
modular retrofit structural member 92 having a right-angled portion 94 as
illustrated in FIG. 9. The modular retrofit version 92 is particularly
advantageous for installing a frameless sign face on an existing structure
for example by securing the right angle portion 94 to the existing structure.
Referring now to FIG. 10 and 11, the structure 22 of the sign casing
of the preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of C-shaped members
each having a stem member 110 and two arm members 112. The arm
members 112 are pointing forwardly relative to the sign casing, at right
angle from the stem member, one at each end of the stem member 110.
The stem member 110 is preferably made with structural steel or
aluminium tubing. The arm members 112 are preferably made of cast
aluminium. The arm members 112 are preferably joined to the stem
member 110 by means of a right angle peg 114 which extends from each
arm member 112 and which is sized to tightly fit inside the structural
tubing of the stem member 110. A gusset 116 is preferably provided on the
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arm member 112 to act against the stem member 110 for reinforcing a joint
between the arm member 112 and the stem member 110. Parting lines 118
are further provided on the arm members 112 for selectively cutting the
arm members 112 to match various nominal widths of extruded members
90. The structure 22 of the sign casing of the preferred embodiment is
particularly advantageous for shipping complete signs to customers in a
compact kit form, and for easily erecting sign casings on a job site.
While the above description provides a full and complete disclosure
of the preferred embodiment of this invention, various modifications,
alternate constructions and equivalent may be employed without departing
from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve
alternate components, structural arrangements, operable features or the like.
Therefore, the above description and accompanying illustrations should not
be construed as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the
appended claims.
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