Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02284421 1999-09-30
-1 -
TITLE:
ADVERTISING STRUCTURE FOR A POLE
The present invention relates to an advertising structure for a pole, and
especially a pole in the form of a lamppost. The pole is intended to be of a
sufficient height that the advertising structure is located so as to provide
clear
and unobstructed passage by persons, automobiles and trucks near the pole.
In particular, the invention relates to an advertising structure for a pole in
which the advertising surfaces are oriented in three directions. The surfaces
of the structure that are used for advertising are intended to be flat i.e.
planar.
Structures used for advertising come in a wide variety of shapes and
sizes, as well as locations. Many of these locations are near roads, highways
and parking areas so that the advertising may be viewed from automobiles.
Most frequently the advertising is large, being larger than five metres in the
major dimensions. Such large advertising normally will include lights, moving
panels or other means to draw attention to the advertising.
Poles located on streets and in parking areas may have a variety of
signs, particularly in the form of flags, banners, and notice boards. The
notice
boards are typically used to provide information relating to parking
restrictions,
directions of traffic movement, or other similar information. These notice
boards are attached to the poles in a substantially permanent manner. It is
not intended that these notice boards be removed except on a very infrequent
basis e.g. after a number of years. Such notice boards are not intended for
and are not conducive for use as advertising structures, particularly because
of the size of the notice boards and the inability for persons to be able to
change the notice boards with relative ease on a frequent basis, e.g. weekly
or monthly.
An advertising structure for use on poles, particularly on poles in
parking areas, has now been found.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides an
advertising structure for a pole, said advertising structure having vertical
advertising panels disposed in a triangle about said pole, comprising:
CA 02284421 2000-09-12
-2-
a frame having at least one clamp adapted to be attached on said pole
and be removable therefrom, said clamp retaining said frame on said pole;
said frame having an arm member attached to the clamp and
extending therefrom, opposed ends of the arm member being attached to
frame support members, each of said frame support members having first and
second ends with the first ends being a common end, said common end and
said second ends of the frame support members having end sections thereon,
each end section having slots for slidable retention of side edges of
advertising panels, said frame having a further frame support member
removably attachable to said second end sections so as to form said triangle
disposed about said pole; and
channels disposed perpendicular to each of said end sections to retain
lower edges of said advertising panels.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said advertising
structure has at least one additional frame, thereby providing a first frame
and
a second frame, said second frame being adapted to be attached on said pole
and cooperatively aligned with said first frame, especially such that said
first
and second frames have common end sections.
In a further preferred embodiment, said end sections extend for the
length of a panel to be inserted therein.
In another embodiment, each channel extends between adjacent end
sections and is afitachable thereto.
In a further embodiment, second channels are provided to retain upper
edges of advertising panels, said second channels extending between
adjacent end sections and being attachable thereto.
In another embodiment, said channels supporting upper and lower
edges of advertising panels are attached to a support bar extending
therebetween, said support bar being internal of said advertising panels.
In a further embodiment, the end sections are disposed at the corners
of an equilateral triangle.
In another embodiment of the invention, the clamp is adapted to fit onto
and be retained on a pole that has a square, oval or rectangular cross
section.
CA 02284421 2000-09-12
-2a-
In a further embodiment, the clamp are adapted to be retained on a
pole that is tapered vertically.
CA 02284421 1999-09-30
-3 -
In yet another embodiment, a safety clamp is provided to prevent said
frame from sliding down said pole.
The present invention is illustrated by the embodiments shown in the
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a pole with advertising structure
thereon;
Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a cross-section of the
advertising structure shown in Fig. 1, through A-A, without advertising
panels;
Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the cross-section of Fig. 2, with
advertising panels; and
Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a frame used to retain the
panels.
Fig. 1 shows a pole indicated by 1, embedded in the ground 2. Pole 1
is in a parking lot, or similar area, as indicated by the parked automobile 3.
Advertising structure 4 is located on pole 1 at a height significantly above
automobile 3, and at a height that would also be above a truck or transport
trailer if such a vehicle should be parked beneath the sign or pass beneath
the sign. However, advertising structure 4 would be located at a height that
is
visible and easily read by persons in the parking lot. For example, the
advertising structure typically would be at a height of 3.5-6 m, and
especially
at a height of 4-5 m.
Advertising structure 4 is shown as having upper clamp 5 and lower
clamp 6. Both upper clamp 5 and lower clamp 6 are attached to pole 1. In
each instance, upper clamp 5 and lower clamp 6 are spaced apart from panel
upper edge 9 and panel lower edge 10, such that neither upper clamp 5 nor
lower clamp 6 is visible from most viewing angles. For instance, upper clamp
5 and lower clamp 6 could be spaced from upper panel edge 9 and lower
panel edge 10, respectively of panel 11 by a distance of 15-30 cm.
Although the advertising structure 4 is shown in Fig. 1 as having upper
clamp 5 and lower clamp 6, it is understood that advertising structure 4 could
have more than two clamps. At least one clamp should be located above
collar 12. Collar 12 is attached to pole 1, and is intended to act as a safety
CA 02284421 1999-09-30
-4 -
device in the event that advertising structure 4 should become loose and slide
down pole 1. It is also be noted that pole 1 will frequently be a tapered
pole,
increasing in diameter towards the ground, which will help prevent advertising
structure 4 form sliding rapidly down pole 1.
The embodiment of Fig. 1 shows two clamps, spaced from the top and
bottom of advertising structure 4. In a preferred embodiment, three clamps
are used viz. at the top, middle and bottom, using the clamps and panel
retaining structure shown in Fig. 2.
Upper clamp 5 has arm members 7 extending therefrom that form part
of a frame (not shown, but described with respect to Fig. 2) that is attached
to
pole 1. Similarly, lower clamp 6 has arm members 8 that are part of a second
frame attached to the pole. The method of attachment of arm members 7 and
8 to upper and lower clamps 5 and 6 respectively, and to the frame, is shown
in greater detail in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 below. The spaced apart relationship of
upper clamp 5 and lower clamp 6 provides stability to the advertising
structure
4. Each arm member 7 of upper clamp 5 is in the same vertical plane as the
respective arm members 8 of lower clamp 6, with the ends thereof also
aligned vertically. This will be apparent from the description of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 shows frame 20 which is used to support and retain panels of
advertising structure 4. Frame 20 has attachment unit (clamp) 22, which is
used to attach frame 20 to pole 1. Attachment unit 22 has frame bar 24 that
extends across the width of frame 20, and retaining bar 26. Frame bar 24 and
retaining bar 26 are attached together to retain frame 20 on pole 1 using
bolts
28. Frame bar 24 corresponds to arm member 7 of Fig. 1.
Frame bar 24 has first frame support 30 and second frame support 32
attached at opposite ends thereof. First frame support 30 and second frame
support 32 form two sides of a triangle, especially an equilateral triangle.
First
frame support 30 and second frame support 32 join at first end section 34.
The opposed end of first frame support 30 is attached to third end section 38,
and the opposed end of second frame support 32 is attached to second end
section 36. Third frame support 40 extends across the remaining side of the
triangle, and is detachable from second end section 36 and third end section
CA 02284421 1999-09-30
-5 -
38, so that frame 20 may be installed on a pole. Third frame support 40 is
attached to second end section 36 using first support attachment 42, and
similarly third frame support 40 is attached to third end section 38 using
second support attachment 44. First and second support attachments 42 and
44 may be in the form of bolts, but may conveniently be split pins, ring
clips,
bolts or other means of attachment.
First end section 34 is shown as having first panel slot 46 and second
panel slot 48. Each of second end section 36 and third end section 38 has
similar panel slots. The panel slots are aligned, so that panel may be
inserted
into panel slots of adjacent ends sections, to retain the panel in position.
Fig. 2 also shows panel support bars 50, which are located exterior to
first frame support 30, second frame support 32 and third frame support 40.
Panel support bars 50 are further described in Fig. 4.
Fig. 3 shows frame 20 having panels in place. First panel 11A extends
from first end section 34 to second end section 36. Panel 11A is inserted into
second panel slot 48 and into the corresponding slot of second end section
36. Panel support bar 50 is located behind panel 11A, such that it is between
panel 11A and second frame support 32. In this position, panel support bar
50 provides support for panel 11A, but is located so that it will not be seen
by
the public and will not cover or otherwise detract from advertising on the
outer
surface of panel 11A.
In a similar manner, panels 11 B and 11 C are inserted into panel slots
of first end section 34 and third end section 38, and second end section 36
and third end section 38, respectively.
End sections 34, 36 and 38 may be in the form of retaining slots
through which panels 11A, 11 B and 11 C pass. Means e.g. clips, bolts or the
like, would then be required to retain panels 11A, 11 B and 11 C in place.
However, in the preferred embodiment, only one frame 20 is used, with its
attachment means 22 located above collar 12 of Fig. 1. In this embodiment,
each end section would have a length essentially corresponding to the height
of the panel, and the panel slots would extend for the full length of the
panel.
CA 02284421 1999-09-30
-6 -
Fig. 4 shows panel support 60 for the preferred embodiment where
there is only one frame 20 and each end section extends for the full length of
the panel. Panel support 60 has panel support bar 50 that extends between
upper support bar 62 and lower support bar 64. Thus, panel support 60 has
an I construction. In use, panel support 60 is attached between end sections
of frame 20. In particular, panel support 60 is attached to first end section
34
and to third end section 38 using pins 66 located at the end of upper support
bar 62 and lower support bar 64. Pins 66 may be split pins, ring clips, bolts
or
other attachment means.
Lower support bar 64 is in the form of a channel that extends between
respective end sections of frame 20. In this manner, a panel, 11A, may be
inserted into the end sections and retained by the channel of lower support
bar 64. Thus, the panel is retained in position. Upper support bar 62
preferably also is a channel, which is placed over the upper edge of the panel
after the panel is in place.
In use, advertising structure 4 without the advertising panels would be
installed on a pole. In particular, at least two frames 20 would be located in
position with the respective attachment units 22. Frame bars 24 support first
frame support 30 and second frame support 32. Third frame support 40
would be attached using split pins, ring clips, bolts or the like. It is
understood
that all frames 20 would need to be aligned vertically so that the respective
sides i.e. respective frame supports, are in common vertical planes. The I-
shaped panel support would also be placed in position, with lower panel
support 64 attached to the end sections. A panel would be inserted, or
replaced, and upper panel support 62 attached to retain the panel in position.
In order to change the panels, all that is necessary is to detach upper
panel support 62 and such other retaining mechanism as may be used and to
lift panels 11 vertically out of advertising structure 4. The new advertising
panels are then placed into position and the retaining members are replaced.
The framework section of the advertising structure 4 is readily placed in
position and the panels are then readily located on the framework of
advertising structure 4. Both installation and replacement of panels in
CA 02284421 1999-09-30
-7 -
advertising structure 4 is readily carried out using a "cherry picker" mounted
on a truck. The advertising structure is designed, in a triangle form, to
efficiently utilize a minimum space around the pole. The advertising structure
is readily visible, and pedestrians within the parking area would be expected
to see at least two sides of the advertising structure while moving around the
parking area.
The panels are preferably formed from ABS polymer or aluminum
sheeting, although a variety of other flat panels could be used. The
advertising is placed on the panels prior to installation of the panels on the
advertising structure. The advertising panels would be planar and typically
have a height of 1-2 m and a width of 1-1.5 m, although other convenient
sizes may be used. A variety of thicknesses may be used, an example of a
thickness being about 0.125 inches. However, it is understood that the panel
should have sufficient structural integrity for the location of use. The frame
would be specific to a particular size of advertising, and could be readily
replaced if that size should be changed.
The advertising structure may be designed to blend with the
environment and the surroundings. While polished aluminum is a preferred
color, the panels may be painted especially in colors that blend with the
remaining colors of the environment. The advertising panel should be of a
size that is appropriate to provide meaningful space for the advertisers while
still being relatively unobtrusive.
