Hanging display arrangements

Abstract

 An arrangement for hanging printed sheet material for display in which the sheet is printed on at least a front face; has an upper selvedge bounded by an edge of the sheet and at least one score line; said edge is contoured to define one or more tabs; a corresponding number of tab-receiving slots are provided in or adjacent to the selvedge or said score line, and an aperture is provided in the or each tab such that, with the upper selvedge folded over and the or each tab inserted into the or each associated tab-receiving slot to protrude upwardly therefrom. The upper selvedge enhances the rigidity of the sheet and the aperture or apertures in the protruding tab or tabs provide means for use in hanging the sheet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to hanging display arrangements and in particular to such arrangements for hanging printed sheet material for display.

Background

[0002] It is known to mount printed sheet material for display by affixing it to a support member such as rigid backing board, or to print directly onto a sheet of thick rigid board, that is either hung in elevated position (e.g. from a ceiling), or is itself supported by a base-mounted stand (e.g. a tripod, shelf, table, counter, or the ground or floor). To provide for viewing of the display material from opposite sides, it is also known to provide a printed sheet of display material affixed or mounted to each side of a common support member - e.g. as disclosed in our co-pending UK Patent Application No. 0320826.1. Production of such hanging displays can be expensive, especially where it is necessary to provide, for each printed display, a backing card that will provide the requisite rigidity for the standing or hanging structure. This expense is exacerbated where there is a requirement frequently to change the printed sheet material being displayed. Merely hanging a flexible substrate (e.g. a paper, flexible thin card or film sheet) bearing the printed image to be displayed provides no solution because it is not usually of sufficient rigidity to provide a good quality display.

[0003] Other display mounting and/or hanging arrangements are known, for example, from US 2003/0217685A1, US 4177750, US 4813369, GB 2282695 and GB 19195 of 1909. These too present disadvantages and cannot readily be used for hanging a flexible substrate.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] With a view to overcoming the above-mentioned and/or other disadvantages of display hanging arrangements known heretofore, one aspect of the present invention provides an arrangement for hanging printed sheet material for display wherein:

said sheet is printed on at least a front face;

said sheet has an upper selvedge bounded by an edge of the sheet and at least one score line;

said edge is contoured to define one or more tabs;

a corresponding number of tab-receiving slots are provided in or adjacent to the selvedge or said score line, and

an aperture is provided in the or each tab such that, with the upper selvedge folded over and the or each tab inserted into the or each associated tab-receiving slot to protrude upwardly therefrom, the upper selvedge enhances the rigidity of the sheet and aperture or the apertures in the protruding tab or tabs provide means for use in hanging the sheet.

[0005] Preferably, said selvedge is provided with a plurality of additional score lines along which the selvedge may be folded over such that a tunnel is provided along the length of the selvedge. Optionally, a cord, wire or like flexible element may be passed through said tunnel to provide alternative means for hanging of the sheet.

[0006] For forming a tunnel of generally triangular cross-section, the selvedge may comprise four strip-like portions of which the first is generally co- planar with the remainder of the sheet (and, optionally, bears some of the printed matter to the displayed by the sheet), the second projects from the first rearwardly at angle (e.g. 90°) to the first, the third projects forwardly from the second towards the rear face of the remainder of the sheet and the fourth is provided with said tab or tabs. It will be apparent that boundaries between the strip-like portions may be defined by lines scored into the sheet, e.g. during printing of the matter to be displayed, and that the folded over relationship of the several strip-like portions provides increased rigidity to the top of the sheet.

[0007] Advantageously, one or more of the aforesaid score lines may include a plurality of slit-like perforations directed longitudinally of that score line. This can improve flexibility or bending of the sheet about that score line.

[0008] Preferably, the length of the or each tab is of sufficient extent as to permit it to protrude through its associated tab-receiving slot when the second and third portions are substantially co-planar. This permits the hanging to be provided as a substantially flat pack or package but nonetheless in an effectively pre-assembled form with the or each tab pre-extending into the or each associated slot.

[0009] Optionally, two laterally spaced hoop staples (or loop staples) may be attached to the sheet at or adjacent to the fold between the selvedge and the remainder of the sheet, thereby to provide alternative means for hanging the sheet .

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] By way of example embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1

is a partly broken away perspective rear view illustrating a hanging arrangement according to a first embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2

is a partly broken away perspective rear view illustrating a hanging arrangement according to a second embodiment of this invention,

Figure 3

is a schematic end view of a modification to the hanging arrangement shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4

is a schematic end view of the structure shown in Figure 3 when in a substantially pre-assembled but generally flat form with all the portions coplanar or in parallel planes,

Figure 5

is a front view of the hanging of Figs 3 and 4 as in the generally flat state illustrated in Figure 4,

Figure 6

is a schematic perspective view of the hanging of Figs 3 to 5 as in the fully erected state of Figure 3,

Figure 7

is a front view of a blank for forming a hanging arrangement according to a third embodiment of this invention,

Figure 8

is a similar view to that of Figure 7 but of a fourth embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 9

shows the embodiment of Figure 8 in a partly-assembled, preformed flat-pack form suitable for storage/mailing to an end user.

Detailed Description of Example(s) of the Invention

[0011] The hanging arrangement 10 shown in Fig 1 comprises a sheet 12 of paper or card printed on at least one (front) face 14 (not visible in Fig 1). The print area extends at least up to the edge of an upper selvedge 135 adjacent to the peripheral edge 18 of the sheet. The selvedge 135 is bent over along the scored fold line 37 rearwardly of the sheet 12.

[0012] In the embodiment of Figure 1 the selvedge 135 comprises four strip-like portions 135a, 135b, 135c and 135d. The first portion 135a is generally co-planar with the remainder of the sheet 12. The second portion 135b is bent rearwardly of portion 135a along the first score line 37 to extend at an angle α (e.g. right angles) to the first portion 135a. The third portion 135c is bent downwardly and forwardly along a second score line 38 (and in a similar fold direction to that about the first scored line 37) to extend at an angle β (e.g. of approximately 45°) to the second portion 135b. The fourth portion 135d is bent upwardly, in the same fold direction, along a third score line 39 to extend at an angle γ to the third portion 135c and substantially parallel to the remainder of sheet 12. This fourth portion is provided at its free edge with one or more tab-like extensions 128 that protrude fittingly into and through slots 127 provided in the second strip-like portion 135b. The tab-like extensions 128 may be preformed with stamped-out apertures 126 for use in hanging of the sheet 12. The second strip-like portion 135b may be provided with staples or other eyelets (not shown) for use as an alternative hanging means to the apertured tab-like extensions 128. In yet another option the apertures 26 (and the staples or other eyelets, if provided) may be ignored and hanging of the article may be effected by putting a cord or similar element through the tunnel 25 formed by the folded-over selvedge portions. This flexible element - like the apertured tabs or the staples - can then be used to hang the printed sheet 12 from a fixed support to provide a hanging display.

[0013] In the embodiment of Fig 1, two slots 127 for two tabs 128 are provided equidistant from the centre of the width of strip-like portion 135b . In the embodiment of Fig 2, the two slots 127 for tabs 128 are provided in strip-like portion 135b nearer to, i.e. closely adjacent to (preferably in the line of) the first score line 37.

[0014] A further modification of this last-mentioned embodiment is illustrated schematically in Figs 3-6. As shown in these figures, the length of each of the tab-like extensions 128 is of an extent sufficient to permit the tab-like extensions 128 to protrude through the slots 127 provided therefor and to affect this even when the second and third selvedge portions are substantially co-planar. This is achieved by having the aggregate of (a) 'height' of the tab-like extensions 128 and (b) the 'width' of the strip-like fourth portion 135d to be greater than the aggregate of (c) the'height' or the 'width' of the strip-like second portion 135b and (d) the 'width' of the strip-like third portion 135c. Such an arrangement permits the hanging to be provided as a flat-pack package but in a substantially pre-assembled form with the tab-like extensions 128 already extending partially into said slots 127. This removes the need for the end user to effect such tab-into-slot insertion and permits of the arrangement being almost "ready for use".

[0015] The "flat pack" state of this modified arrangement - which additionally suits it for storage and/or transportation ― is shown in Figs 4 and 5 which illustrate how, although in a flattened state with portions 135a and 135d parallel to one another and with portions 135b and 135c in substantially the same plane as one another (and parallel to portions 135a and 135d), the tabs 128 still project through the slots 127. The latter are provided in, or closely adjacent to, the crease or score line 37 providing the boundary between the first and second portions 135a and 135b. It is considered possible to improve the arrangement still further by providing for this crease to be provided by two closely-adjacent and mutually parallel score lines 37a and 37b with the slots 127 provided in the space between the two mutually parallel score lines 37a and 37b.

[0016] Conversion to the fully-erect state shown in Figs 3 and 6 is readily accomplished by pulling the tabs 128 further through the slots, i.e. to protrude further upwards away from the second portion 135b. This results in portions 135b and 135c folding laterally outwards about score line 38 such as to adopt the mutually-angled position shown.

[0017] It will be appreciated that with each illustrated embodiment, the printed face 14 of sheet 12 can extend to the top of the visible face of the display.

[0018] In modified forms of any one of the illustrated embodiments, the printed image may be applied not only to face 14 but either additionally or alternatively to 'rear' face 24. Where a printed image is applied to 'rear' face 24, a mating extension of that image or a banner headline to be associated therewith, may be printed on the 'front' face but such as to appear on selvedge strip-like portion 135c of Fig 1 or of Fig 2 or of Figs 3 to 6.

[0019] In the embodiment of Fig 7, the arrangement 210 comprises a sheet of card 212 printed on its front surface 214 and pre-cut to provide a single central tab 228 projecting from the selvedge 235. The latter has only three identifiable strip-like portions of which the one nearest the main body of sheet 212 is referenced 235b. The boundary between this strip-like portion 235b and the main body of sheet 212 is provided by a central elongate tab-receiving slot 227 (shown in full lines) that at each end is continued by a score line 237 (shown in dashed lines) to the nearest edge of the sheet 212. This permits bending of strip-like portion 235b rearwardly of the sheet.

[0020] The intermediate strip-like portion 235c is bounded by a score line 238 from strip-like portion 235b and by another score line 239 from the selvedge portion 235d from which central tab 228 extends and with which it is co-planar (and not divided therefrom by any score line). The tab 28 is provided centrally of its length with an aperture 226 for use in hanging of the sheet 212.

[0021] The width D of selvedge portion 235 with its tab 228 is greater than the aggregate width d of strip-like portions 235b and 235c. This means that the hanging can be partially pre-assembled or pre-formed into an almost ready-for-use form by folding the selvedge portion 235d of card 212 rearwardly about score line 239 and inserting the tip or bending part of tab 228 into the tab-receiving slot 227. This allows the end user of the hanging to simply pull that protruding part of tab 228 further through the slot 227 and reveal the previously obscured (and protected) aperture 226. Consonant with this pulling further through of tab 228, the strip-like portions 235b and 235c fold backwards and inwardly towards one another from their previously generally co-planar state.

[0022] The blank and hanging arrangement 310 of Figs 8 and 9 is similar to that of Fig 7 except for the following main features. The single, central tab 328 is differently shaped and is bounded by a score line 328a (shown by a short-dashed line) where it adjoins the remainder of end selvedge portion 335d. The tab 328 is provided with undercut portions 328b adjacent its base and leading to the line of score line 328a.

[0023] There is a score line 339 between selvedge portions 335d and 335c, and a score line 338 between selvedge portions 335c and the main body of the arrangement's card 312. Each of the score lines 338,339 includes a series of cut through slits. These are shown by the long-dashed lines in Figs 7 and 8, and are provided to facilitate bending of the card 312 about these score lines.

[0024] The line of tab-receiving slot 327 is spaced slightly from the line of the score line 337 (that provides the boundary between the strip-like selvedge portion 335b and the main body of card 312), and also has short slit-like extensions 327a directed at an acute angle to the main line of tab-receiving slot 327 that assist in forming a locking tab 327b for the main tab 328. The top edge of selvedge portion 325d ― from which tab 328 extends ― is referenced 335e.

[0025] When the blank or card 312 is folded over about score line 339 (Fig 8), main tab 328 is inserted into the tab-receiving slot 327 (i.e. beneath the locking tab 327b). The resultant arrangement is of "flat-pack" form suiting it for storage, stacking and mailing to an end user. For use, the protruding tip 328c of tab 328 (see Fig 8) is pulled further through the slot 327 until the small slit-like extensions 327a marry up with the similarly angled, undercut portions 328b at the base of tab 328 and assist in locking of tab 328 in position. It will be appreciated that, as in the embodiment of Fig 7, the pulling through of the tab reveals the previously obscured (and protected) aperture 226 and results in a concomitant hinge-like folding of strip-like portions 335b and 335c to form, with strip-like portiion 335d, a tunnel of generally triangular cross-section. It will be appreciated that the tunnel sides ― provided by the several selvedge portions ― enhance the rigidity of the sheet and permit it to be hung via the aperture 226. Interengagements of tab undercuts 328b and slit extensions 327a keep the tunnel under tension when the hanging arrangement is hung and thus maintains the integrity of the display.

[0026] Although the above-described and illustrated embodiments of the invention provide a tunnel of generally triangular cross-section , it will be appreciated that, by altering the number of selvedge portions, the general cross-sectional shape of the tunnel can be altered. For example, instead of the 3 selvedge portions folded about 3 score lines of the illustrated embodiments, hanging arrangements can be provided having 4, 5 or more selvedge portions folded about 4, 5 or more score lines. Very many narrow selvedge portions can be formed into a generally semi-circular formation with a wider selvedge portion ― terminating in a tab (such as 28, 128, 228 or 328) ― extending across the "diameter" of the generally semi-circular formation. As an alternative to this last modification, a hanging arrangement may comprise just two selvedge portions folded about just two score lines, the selvedge portion extending from the main body of the sheet being bent manually to generally semi-circular form (without any pre-ordained score lines) and the other selvedge portion (with its tab termination) extending "diametrically" to the generally semi-circular selvedge portion formation.

[0027] It will furthermore be appreciated that the above-described and illustrated embodiments lend themselves to good quality display of print material printed not only on the front face 14, 214, 314 of the blank 12, 212, 312, but also printed on the rear face 24, 324, of the blank. In such a case the rear face (24, 324) is printed normally with the whole of the main body's area being safely available for the print material (e.g. print copy and design) to be displayed. Optionally, all the selvedge portions can bear decoration matching the matter printed on the main area and thus appear as an extension of the design. Meanwhile the front face (14, 314) may be printed with a similar or different image to that on the front face. Again the main body area is safely available for the print matter to be displayed. The next adjacent selvedge portion (135b, 235b, 335b) will only be visible from above and ideally therefore should provide for bleeding of the image between these two areas. The print material on the next selvedge portion (135c, 235c, 335c) should ideally be created from the corresponding areas on the rear face but be rotated through 180°. Optionally, a similar image-rotation arrangement may be provided for the last, tab-adjacent selvedge portion (135d, 235d, 335d). By means of such image rotation, the image areas on the front and rear faces can match and be in substantial alignment at the top when the selvedge portions are folded into the tunnel formation 25.

[0028] It will also be appreciated that the substrate for the display can be paper, card, board or of synthetic material; and that printing may be effected by a lithographic, silkscreen, or digital printing process. Ideally the substrate used is selected to give a good colour and image reproduction whilst maintaining a level of opacity sufficient to prevent image show-through from one side to the other.

[0029] In another modification the or each aperture 26, 226 may be formed as an undercut in a lateral edge of the tab to shape the tab into a hook-like formation.

[0030] Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought.

Claims

1. An arrangement for hanging printed sheet material for display wherein:

said sheet is printed on at least a front face;

said sheet has an upper selvedge bounded by an edge of the sheet and at least one score line;

said edge is contoured to define one or more tabs;

a corresponding number of tab-receiving slots are provided in or adjacent to the selvedge or said score line, and

an aperture is provided in the or each tab such that, with the upper selvedge folded over and the or each tab inserted into the or each associated tab-receiving slot to protrude upwardly therefrom, the upper selvedge enhances the rigidity of the sheet and the aperture or apertures in the protruding tab or tabs provide means for use in hanging the sheet.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein said selvedge is provided with a plurality of additional score lines along which the selvedge may be folded over such that a tunnel is provided along the length of the selvedge.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 2, and further comprising a cord, wire or like flexible element that may be passed through said tunnel to provide alternative means for hanging of the sheet.

4. An arrangement according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein for forming a tunnel of generally triangular cross-section, the selvedge may comprise four strip-like portions of which the first is generally co- planar with the remainder of the sheet (and, optionally, bears some of the printed matter to the displayed by the sheet), the second projects from the first rearwardly at angle (e.g. 90°) to the first, the third projects forwardly from the second towards the rear face of the remainder of the sheet and the fourth is provided with said tab or tabs.

5. An arrangement according to any preceding Claim, wherein the length of the or each tab is of sufficient extent as to permit or each tab to protrude through the said slots when the second and third portions are substantially co-planar.

6. An arrangement according to any preceding Claims and further comprising two laterally spaced hoop staples (or loop staples) attached to the sheet at or adjacent to the fold between the selvedge and the remainder of the sheet, thereby to provide alternative means for hanging the sheet.

Drawing