Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1015CA 02265152 2005-02-03TITLE: FLEXIBLE FACE SIGN WITH RAISEDDISPLAY SURFACEThe present invention relates to ï¬exible face signs, and morenarticularlv it relates to a ï¬exible face sign having a raised display surface.A conventional ï¬exible face sign has a planar display surface anda ï¬exible face material that is stretched across an opening deï¬ned by thesign's framing members. The ï¬exible face material is stretched by meansof a plurality of ï¬ex holders affixed at spaced intervals to the perimeterthereof and to the framing members. These signs are described in detailsin US Patents 5,255,459 and 5,669,166 issued on Oct. 26, 1993 and Sept.23, 1997 respectively, to the inventor of the present invention.Conventional ï¬exible face signs are primarily used as facade signson buildings and around canopies of service stations. The ï¬exible facematerials on these signs are normally painted or decorated with adheringdecals, stripes or lettering material.While a raised surface on a ï¬exible face sign is seldom used, thereare some relevant structures in the prior art that have been developed andused with varying degrees of success.10152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10A ï¬rst example of a ï¬exible face sign having a raised displaysurface is illustrated in US Patent 4,185,408 issued on Jan. 29, 1980 toCharles H. Tracy. This document sets forth a back-lighted signboard inwhich the sign face is stretched over a transparent convex panel. Thetransparent convex panel is afï¬xed to the sign by a framing systemintegrated with the sign structure. The curvature of the transparent convexpanel allows for a better illumination of the signâs display area, especiallywhen this sign has a very large display surface.Another example of a ï¬exible face sign having a raised sign surfaceis described in US Patent 4,265,039 issued on May 5, 1981 to Jackson R.Brooks. In one of the illustrated embodiments, the ï¬exible sign face hasa âmolded pan lookâ. The raised shape is obtained by supporting theï¬exible face material outside the plane of the signâs opening by means ofa continuous curved metallic strip extending from the periphery of the signframe under the ï¬exible face material.A further example of a raised surface on a display sign is shown inUS Patent 5,044,102 issued on Sept. 3, 1991 to W. Dennis Finch et al. Inthis installation, the ï¬exible face material is installed taut over a fabricatedgrill-like tubular structure afï¬xed across the opening of the sign. In thisinstallation, a plurality of springs are used to pull on a rod mounted in ahem along the edges of the face material to stretch the sign face over thetubular structure.Of course, raised display surfaces are also found in awningassemblies, in which a decorated fabric material is stretched over a raisedtubular frame. Examples of awnings used as advertisement display signsare illustrated and described in the following US Patents:10I52025CA 02265152 2005-02-03US 4,817,655 issued on Apr. 4, 1989, to Jackson R. Brooks;US 4,692,847 issued on Sept. 8, 1987 to James Gandy;US 5,577,830 issued on Nov. 26, 1996 to Martin Berry et al..In the advertising industry, it is believed that it is important toperiodically change a sign to display a new business image, a new line ofproducts or to simply rejuvenate a displayed message. Therefore, it isbelieved that the display surface of a sign should be easily replaceablewithout having to modify the basic structure of the sign. It is also believedthat a sign appearance should be changeable from a ï¬at to a raisedconï¬guration or vice-versa without having to replace the entire signstructure. Further, it is believed that a sign structure should haveV tensioning means for properly stretching ï¬exible face materials of variouswidths, for anchoring for example, the face material of a sign that ischanged from a ï¬at conï¬guration to a raised conï¬guration.The sign structures of the prior art are believed to be deï¬cient atleast one of the above preferred requirements, and it is this reason basicallythat has contributed to the development of a market demand for a new andimproved sign structure capable of providing three-dimensional visualeffects to ï¬exible face sign, while being easily built in various sizes,shapes and being easily modiï¬able to adapt to changing styles.The sign system of the present invention offers a new concept forraising the ï¬exible face of a sign and to form therein various architecturalreliefs that are believed to be important visual innovations in the signindustry.CA 02265152 2005-02-03In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there isprovided a ï¬exible face sign comprising a plurality of side-framingmembers deï¬ning a sign opening, an edge around said sign opening, aplane of said sign opening, and inside and outside regions of said signopening relative to said edge; each of said side-framing membershaving face-material retention means mounted therealong around saidsign opening and a rectangular slot disposed adjacent said face-materialretention means in said inside region of said sign opening, saidrectangular slot having a rectangular cross-section and a longer cross-sectional dimension making an angle with said plane of said signopening; a plurality of structural framing members connected to saidside-framing members for maintaining said side-framing members in aï¬xed relationship with one-another around said sign opening; a ï¬exibleface material affixed to said face-retention means and stretched acrosssaid sign opening; said ï¬exible face material having a display side anda back side; and a plurality of spaced apart ï¬exible and resilient propmembers each having a fixed end removably afï¬xed to said rectangularslot, and a free end extending against said back side of said ï¬exibleface material at a distance from said edge around said sign opening;said free end being in a ï¬exed mode and acting against said back sidefor resiliently raising said ï¬exible face material from said plane of saidsign opening; such that architectural reliefs are formable in said ï¬exibleface material for improving a visual characteristic thereof while saidï¬exible face material is maintainable in a stretched mode under avariety of sign conditions, and said prop members and said ï¬exible facematerial are removable from said side-framing members forperiodically changing said ï¬exible face material and said reliefs.3a10152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10Broadly, in accordance with one feature of the invention, there isprovided a ï¬exible face sign comprising a plurality of side-framingmembers deï¬ning a sign opening, and a ï¬exible face material anchored tothe side-framing members and stretched across the signâs opening. Theï¬exible face material has a display side and a back side. There is alsoprovided a plurality of spaced apart ï¬exible and resilient prop memberseach having a ï¬xed end afï¬xed to one of the side-framing members, anda free end extending against the back side of the ï¬exible face material.The free end of each prop member is in a stressed mode and acting againstthe ï¬exible sign face material for resiliently raising the ï¬exible facematerial from a plane of the signâs opening.A major advantage of the structure of the present invention is thatdecorative architectural reliefs are formable in the ï¬exible face materialfor improving the visual properties of the sign while the ï¬exible facematerial is maintainable in a stretched mode for a better appearance undera variety of sign conditions.In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided aï¬exible face sign comprising a plurality of side-framing members deï¬ninga sign opening and each having a slot therein pointing away from the signopening. A plurality of spaced-apart C-shaped framing members areconnected to the side-framing members for maintaining the side-framingmembers in a ï¬xed relationship with each other along the signâs opening.A ï¬exible face material is removably anchored to the side-framingmembers and is stretched across the signâs opening. The ï¬exible facematerial has a display side and a back side. The ï¬exible face sign also hasa plurality of spaced apart ï¬exible and resilient prop members each having410152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10a ï¬xed end removably afï¬xed to the slot in one of the side-framingmembers, and a free end extending in a ï¬exed mode against the back sideof the ï¬exible face material for resiliently raising the ï¬exible face materialfrom a plane of the signâs opening.The fact that the ï¬exible face material is removably anchored to theside-framing members is particularly advantageous for opening the signcasing for maintenance for example, in a manner that is customary withconventional ï¬exible face signs.Furthermore, the fact that the ï¬exible prop members and theï¬exible face material are removably mounted to the side-framing membersis also particularly appreciable for periodically renewing the signâsappearance at minimum expense to the owner of the sign.According to yet another feature of the present invention, there isprovided a ï¬exible face sign having a base, a plurality of side-framingmembers connected to the base and defining opposite sides of the sign.Each side-framing member has a first and second spacedâapart slots thereinand each slot is pointing away from the base. The ï¬exible face sign alsohas a plurality of spaced-apart ï¬exible and resilient prop members eachhaving a ï¬rst and second anchor members respectively connected to theï¬rst and second slots. Each prop member has a dilated shape extendingaway from the base and deï¬ning a partial proï¬le of the sign. A ï¬exibleface material is removably anchored to the side-framing members and isstretched over the dilated shapes, with each prop member being in a ï¬exedand stressed mode.The advantages of this latter feature are basically that the describeddilated shapes are usable for forming a variety of non-conventional sign5101520CA 02265152 1999-03-10shapes, and the ï¬exible face material is maintainable in a stretched modeover these sign shapes and under a variety of sign conditions.Still another feature of the invention is that it is susceptible of a lowcost of manufacture with regard to materials, equipment and labour, andwhich accordingly is then susceptible of low price of sale to the industry,thereby making such sign structure economically available to the public.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSOne embodiment of this invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like partsthroughout the several Views, and in which:FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a sign having a raised display surface,according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 2 is a crossâsection view of a sign according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention, as viewed along line 2-2 inFIG. 1 and wherein the display surface is forwardly slanted, andincorporates a down-lit portion;FIG. 3 illustrates a crossâsection view of a sign according to a secondpreferred embodiment, having a raised and forwardly slanted frontdisplay surface and illumination in forward and down directions;FIG. 4 is a crossâsection view of a sign according to a third preferredembodiment, having a cylindrical display surface;101520CA 02265152 1999-03-10FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a sign according to a fourth preferredembodiment, having a prismatic display surface;FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a ï¬exible transparent trussâlike propmember usable for supporting a ï¬exible sign face, as seen alongline 6-6 in FIG. 4;FIG. 7 is a partial cross-section View of a side-framing member of the signcasing according to the ï¬rst and second preferred embodimentswith a ï¬exible prop strip of a ï¬rst type affixed thereto;FIG. 8 is a cross-section View of a ï¬exible prop strip of a second type;FIG. 9 is a cross-section View of a ï¬exible prop strip of a third type;FIG. 10 is an enlarged View of the engagement of a ï¬exible prop strip inthe slot of a side-framing member;FIG. 11 is a cross-section View of a wide extrusion usable as a side-framing member for manufacturing signs according to the preferredembodiments;FIG. 12 is a cross-section View of a medium-width extrusion usable as aside-framing member for manufacturing signs according to thepreferred embodiments;FIG. 13 is a cross-section View of a narrow extrusion usable as a side-framing member for manufacturing signs according to the preferredembodiments;CA 02265152 2005-02-03FIG. 14 is an inverted side view of a Y-shaped framing member usable formanufacturing signs according to the second, third and fourthpreferred embodiments of the present invention;FIG. 15 is a side view of a h-shaped framing member usable for5 manufacturing signs according to the first preferred embodiment;FIG. 16 is an inverted side view of a L-shaped framing member usable formanufacturing signs according to first and second preferredembodiments of the present invention.10 While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many variousforms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described in detailsherein four speciï¬c embodiments, with the understanding that the presentdisclosure is to be considered as example of the principles of the inventionand is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.15 Sign designers and manufacturers in general are always striving toobtain pleasing appearance for their clientsâ signs. The variations inappearance in ï¬exible face signs have traditionally been limited to theartistic quality of the displayed message and background, and in theoriginality in the contour of the sign. Generally, little progress has been20 made in the past to change the relief of the display surface. The signsystems of the preferred embodiments offer new structures and methodsfor improving the appearance of a sign while maintaining the advantagesof working with ï¬exible face material.10152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10Referring to FIGS. 1-6 in the drawings, there are illustrated thereinfour variants of ï¬exible face signs having raised display surfaces. FIGS.1-2 in particular illustrate a ï¬exible face sign according to the firstpreferred embodiment of the present invention. The ï¬exible face material20 is stretched across the opening deï¬ned by the frame of the sign, bymeans of a plurality of ï¬ex holders 22 which are afï¬xed to the border ofthe ï¬exible face material 20 and are engaged into slots 24 along the side-framing members 26 of the sign.The sign casing according to the ï¬rst preferred embodiment is a fullface sign wherein the non-illuminated portion thereof is limited to the sidesand top portion of the casing. The side-framing member 26 surroundingthe sign display area is referred to in the sign industry as a framelessextruded member 26, or a frameless extrusion.Referring especially to FIG. 2 with reference to FIGS. 11-16, thesign structure according to the preferred embodiments are manufacturablewith modular components. Hence, a sign is easily built in-place withstandard parts, or sold in kit form with a rolled-up ï¬exible sign face havingcustom dimensions and pre-made markings.The side-framing members 26, 28 and 30 for examples, arepreferably manufactured in three different widths for manufacturing signcasings of various depths. The side-framing members 26,28,30, are usablewith L-shaped framing members 32 and hollow tubular members 36 forforming the skeletal structure of a sign casing. Each L-shaped framingmember 32 has a stem 34 that is mountable inside the tubular member 36,and is usable with the tubular members 36, for making C-shaped framing10152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10members that are preferably installed at intervals of between 36 and 48inches along the sign casing. The lamps 38 and ballast 40 of the sign arepreferably attached to these tubular members 36.The frameless extruded members 26,28,30, each has a ï¬rst serratedslot 24 for receiving and holding the ï¬ex holders 22 as previouslyexplained. There is also provided on these frameless extruded members,a second slot 50 adjacent the ï¬rst slot 24 and sharing a common wall 52with the ï¬rst slot 24. A cross-section of the second slot 50 defines arectangular cavity having a longer side pointing away from a central regionof the sign casing and toward the edge 54 of the sign face.The raising of the ï¬exible face material 20 in the sign according tothe first preferred embodiment is obtained by mounting a number ofï¬exible and resilient prop strips 60 of a ï¬rst type, between the ï¬exible facematerial 20 and the frameless extruded member 26, along the length of asign casing. Each prop strip 60 has a ï¬xed end removably mounted in thesecond slot 50 and a free end acting against the back side, or the insidesurface of the ï¬exible sign face material, for raising the sign face material.In the case of the sign illustrated in FIG. 2, the ï¬exible sign face materialis raised along the upper edge of the sign.Each prop strip 60 is made of transparent or translucent material.Each prop strip 60 is also made of a ï¬exible and resilient material that hasa preferred thickness of between about 3/16 inch and about 1/4 inch anda preferred width of between about 2 inches and about 4 inches. Thepreferred spacing between two juxtaposed strips 60 is between about 12inches and about 24 inches, although full-length prop strips are alsousable.10101520CA 02265152 1999-03-10Some types of ï¬exible, resilient and transparent sheet materialusable for manufacturing the prop strips are plastic materials known in thesign industry under the trade names LEXAN TM and PLEXIGLASTM.The prop strips of the ï¬rst type 60 are used for shaping a roundedupper edge on the sign face 20 and for inclining the sign face such that theadvertisement material displayed thereon is easily read from relativelyshort distances below the sign.Another advantage of the raised display surface of the ï¬exible facesign of the first preferred embodiment is that the overall thickness of thesign may be reduced as compared with the conventional sign casings whilemaintaining an ideal distance between the lamps 38 of the sign and theï¬exible face 20. The raised surface of the sign of the first preferredembodiment allows for a compact design with very good illuminationcharacteristics.It will also be appreciated that the raised sign surface of the signaccording to the ï¬rst preferred embodiment offers an improved appearancewhen compared to conventional ï¬at display surfaces, and thisimprovement is available while maintaining the frameless feature of thesign.During the installation of the ï¬exible sign face 20 in a raisedconï¬guration, it is recommended to ï¬ex or otherwise preâstress the propstrips down a certain extent as shown at 60-60' in FIG. 7. By doing so, theprop strips 60 provide additional tensioning force to the ï¬exible facematerial 20 for pushing the ï¬exible face material upwardly and outwardlyll10152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10and for compensating for a limited adjustment range of the ï¬ex holders 22in the serrated slots 24 for example. The ï¬exible face material is therebyalways properly taut and has a smooth appearance.The prop strips 62,64 of the second and third types, as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9, are also mountable in the slot 50 of a side-frarning member26, according to the described manner. Each prop strip 60,62 or 64 has afree end that is extending away from the slot 50 and that is usable forshaping the ï¬exible face material and for resiliently supporting andtensioning the ï¬ex face material 20. This additional tensioning of theï¬exible face material is also appreciable for maintaining the tension in aï¬exible face material in windy conditions, under intense heat, or simply onan aging sign installation.In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 with reference to FIG. 15,there is provided a h-shaped framing member 70 that has a stem portion 72having a shape and a size for engagement inside the tubular member 36.One h-shaped framing member is preferably installed on each tubularmember 36. As illustrated, one leg 76 of each h-shaped framing member70 is used for supporting a narrow-width sideâframing member 30. Atransparent lens 74 may be conveniently installed between the legs of theh-shaped framing member 70 for providing a down-lit feature on this sign.Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 9, the illustrations show thestructural details of a raised surface sign wherein the forward displaysurface is inclined forwardly by a series of prop strips 64 of the third type.Here again, the ï¬exible sign face material 20 is preferably installed whileï¬exing and pre-stressing the prop strips 64 downward a certain extent forproviding additional tensioning forces under the ï¬exible face material 20,12101520CA 02265152 1999-03-10and for obtaining all the aforesaid advantages. The prop strips 64 of thethird type are used for further inclining the forward display surface of thesign and for shaping a crease along the upper region of the sign face.When the prop strip 64 is a continuous strip extending the ï¬illlength of the sign, a layer of tinted ï¬lm 66 may be affixed to the strip 64for projecting various shades on the ï¬exible face material 20. Adhesiveï¬lm material which is appropriate for this application is known in the signindustry under the trade name of SCOTHCALTM. This product ismanufactured by 3M, a company which is known worldwide.The modular components for manufacturing the signs according tothe preferred embodiments, also comprises a Y-shaped framing member80 as illustrated in FIG. 14. This particular framing member also has astem 82 for engagement inside the end of a tubular member 36, for usewith the tubular member 36 for framing the lower side of a sign casing forexample. In the illustrated embodiment, the slanted leg 84 of the Y-shapedframing member 80 has a slot 86 therein for receiving and holding forexample, a ï¬at bar or strip 88 of transparent or translucent material. Thestrip 88 is used for forming a lower edge 90 of the display surface of thesign, wherein the ï¬exible face material 20 is anchored to the upper edgeof the sign casing and wraps around the forward and lower portions of thesign casing.The use of the Y-shaped framing member 80 is advantageous formanufacturing raised display surfaces extending over the forward portionof a sign and over a down-lit portion 92 extending at substantially a right1310152025CA 02265152 1999-03-10angle with the forward portion as illustrated in FIG. 3. It will beappreciated that this ï¬at bar 88 is also usable for shaping numerous typesof adjacent non-parallel surfaces on the display area of a sign.It will also be appreciated that because the Y-shaped framingmembers 80, and the h-shaped framing members 70 are installed atdistances from each other, the down-lit section 74 and the lower displaysurface 92 are fully lit when the lights 38 of the particular described signare On.It will be appreciated that although the prop strips 60,62 and 64have been illustrated as being mountable along the upper edge of arectangular sign casing, the described installations apply to both the upperand lower edges of the sign casing as well as to the ends of the sign casing.It will be appreciated that the described installations also apply to double-faced signs and curved-contour signs.In View of the above description, it will also be appreciated that adisplay surface and the architectural relief on a sign may be renewedentirely by simply replacing the ï¬exible face material and a series of propstrips, without modifying the original structure of the sign. It will beappreciated that this is a substantial economy in material and installationtime for the owner of the sign.Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the Y-shaped framing members 80 areusable for constructing a sign base 30,36,80 on which a variety of differentsign shapes may be built. As examples of the sign shapes that aremanufacturable on such a sign base, FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate respectivelya cylindrical shape and a prismatic shape.14101520CA 02265152 1999-03-10Each Y-shaped framing member 80 is usable for retaining a truss-like prop member 100 or 102 having two attachment points. The truss-likeprop members 100 and 102 are usable for installation in an overhung modefor supporting a ï¬exible face material that is mounted at a substantialdistance from the mounting structure 36. Each of the truss-like propmembers 100, 102 has a dilated shape in which the outside segmentdeï¬nes a portion of a sign proï¬le. When mounted in pairs, with the insidesegments thereof facing one-another, their outside segments deï¬ne theentire sign proï¬le, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.Each of the prop members 100,102 is made of ï¬exible andtransparent or translucent plastic material, and comprises a ï¬xed end, afree end, a ï¬ange member 104 and web member 106 afï¬xed to the ï¬angemember for stiffening the ï¬ange member 104. The ï¬xed end has twoanchor portions 108,1 10 that are respectively connectable to the slot 86 ofthe Y-shaped framing member 80 and to the slot 50 of a side-framingmember 30.It will be appreciated that the anchor portions 108,110 havesufï¬cient length, ï¬exibility and resiliency for being initially deformable asdescribed for the previously mentioned prop strips 60,62,64, for thepurpose of maintaining the ï¬exible face material 20 under tension.In use, it is recommended to afï¬x the anchor portions 108,110 tothe side-framing member 30 and to the Y-shaped framing member 80, withscrews (not shown) through the slot 50 of the side-framing member 30 andthrough the slot 86 of the slanted leg 84.15101520CA 02265152 1999-03-10These truss-like prop members 100,102 have been found to beadvantageous for making relatively thick signs, such as the cylindrical sign1 12 illustrated in FIG. 4 and the prismatic shape 1 14 illustrated in FIG. 5.These sign structures are believed to be important innovations in the ï¬eldof ï¬exible face signs.Only three broad types of ï¬exible prop members have beenillustrated herein. The description is therefore not exhaustive and thoseknowledgeable in the art will appreciate that many more shapes of signsare possible with the information provided herein, and are limited only byones imagination.As to other speciï¬c dimensions, to other manner of manufacturingand of using the ï¬exible face signs of the present invention, the sameshould be apparent from the above description, and accordingly, no furtherdiscussion relative to these aspects is provided.While four embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein above, itwill be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modiï¬cations,alternate constructions and equivalents may be employed without departingfrom the true spirit and scope of the invention which is deï¬ned by theappended claims.16
