Advertising apparatus for spreading audio-visual advertising messages

Abstract

 An advertising apparatus for spreading audio-­visual advertising messages, to be installed at sale places and adapted to be actuated by possible buyers coming near, comprises a sensing device which is so driven and controlled as to actuate buyer attracting audio-visual elements.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an advertis­ing apparatus for spreading audio-visual advertis­ing messages and, more specifically, an audio-visual advertising apparatus which is adapted to be actuated by potential buyers coming near.

[0002] As is known, for advertising purposes there are generally used advertising posters, leaflets, audio-­visual devices and so on, which are frequently directly used at the sale place.

[0003] However, known audiovisual advertising devices are usually controlled and operated by advertising personnel trained to attract potential buyers by suitable gestures and wordings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The main object of the present invention is to provide an audio-visual apparatus which is adapted to automatically provide advertising audio-visual messages at a sale place.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to pro­vide such an advertising apparatus which is directly actuated by a potential buyer coming nearer.

[0006] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an advertising apparatus which can safely and reliably operate without the assistance of operat­ing personnel.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by an audio-visual advertising apparatus for spreading audio-visual advertising messages, characterized in that said apparatus essentially comprises sensing means adapted to sense a potential buyer coming near and control means driven by said sensing means so as to actuate audio-visual advertising means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Further characteristics and advantages of the audio-visual advertising apparatus according to the pre­sent invention, will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment thereof, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example in the schematic accompanying drawing the single figure of which is a bloc diagram of the subject audio-visual advertising apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0009] With reference to the figure of the accompanying drawing, the advertising audio-visual apparatus according to the present invention comprises sensing means 1, for example a reflex photocell, or a proximity sensor, which is suitably coupled to a regulated power supply indicated at 2.

[0010] This sensor, in particular, should be adapted to detect the presence of one or more potential buyers, either moving or at rest.

[0011] This sensor is operatively coupled, to drive it, with a control device 3 including one or more relays driven by a pulse counter.

[0012] The relays, in turn, are adapted to close an energizing or enabling circuit for energizing one or more advertising devices 4 of the visual and/or acoustic type.

[0013] According to the invention, the above mentioned control device 3 further comprises a delay source and one or more timer, the delay source being provided for actuating the relay after a set time delay from the driving signal sent by the mentioned sensing means.

[0014] The timers, in turn, allow the actuation period of the advertising devices to be set depending on requirements.

[0015] The audio-visual advertising devices can comprise lamps, laser devices, electronic message play back devices and/or video recorders or displaceable mechanical means.

[0016] The advertising devices can be arranged on a shelving also supporting goods of any types, inside refrigerating benches or the like, on the floor or on the ceiling or wall of the sale place, or on the road near the sale place.

[0017] In actual practice, the sensing means will detect the presence of one or more persons within a range of interest and, by means of the relay, will close the actuating circuit of the advertising message spreading devices, in order to transmit the set audio or visual messages, which can be sent either simultaneously or in succession.

[0018] Thus, the disclosed apparatus will attract, without the assistance of advertising personnel, potential buyers moving near it.

[0019] While the invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the disclosed embodi­ment is susceptible to several modifications and variations all of which will come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1- An audio-visual advertising apparatus for spread­ing audio-visual advertiding messages, characterized in that said apparatus comprises sensing means for sens­ing a potential buyer coming near and control means driven by said sensing means so as to actuate audio-­visual advertising means.

2- An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensing means comprise a reflex photocell.

3- An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensing means comprise a proximity detector.

4- An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means comprise relay means associated with a pulse counter.

5- An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means comprise time delay means and at least a timer.

6- An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said audio visual advertising means comprise lamps, lasers, audio play back devices, video recorders and/or movable mechanical advertising means.

Drawing