GB2256076A - Poster holder. - Google Patents

Abstract

One or more small transparent covers 30 are sandwiched between a back panel 10 and a large transparent front cover 20. A large poster can be mounted behind the large cover 20, overlying the small covers 30. Alternatively an array of small posters can be mounted behind the small covers 30, with the assembly held neatly and securely by the front cover 20. Each small cover may have a folded edge to pass through a slot in the panel, for attachment thereto. The large cover may have a channel along one edge for hooking over an edge region of the back panel. <IMAGE>

Description

POSTER HOLDER This invention is related to a poster holder, more particularly to a poster holder for holding posters of different sizes.

A prior art poster holder includes a back panel for supporting a poster, a clear front cover for protecting the poster; and means for holding the cover member and the back member together to keep a poster between them.

Usually one poster holder is used for one poster, and holders must be made in different sizes for holding correspondingly sized posters. It is not easy to mount several small posters in a single large holder, and the result tends to be unsightly and/or inconvenient, especially if it is subsequently desired to change only some of the posters.

According to the present invention, there is provided a poster holder having a back panel for supporting one or more posters; a first clear cover member locatable over a first area of the panel to retain a relatively large poster; at least one second clear cover member smaller than the first cover member and adapted to be mounted to the panel so as to overlie a portion of said first area; there being means for holding the back panel and the first cover member together with the second clear cover member held therebetween. Thus a relatively large poster can be mounted between the first cover member and the panel. The second cover member may be sandwiched between the poster and the panel. A small poster can be mounted between the second cover member and the panel.One or more small posters can be mounted in the rest of the first area of the panel, preferably behind further second cover members. Engagement of the first cover member secures the small posters in a neat array. Preferably the first area of the panel is divided into a plurality of second areas, each second area having a respective second clear cover member which can hold a poster to that area. Preferably, the or each second clear cover member is made of a flexible material.

Preferably the second clear cover member is attached to the panel, suitably by having a folded edge portion passing through a slot in the panel and having the edge portion secured to the back of the panel. A further supporting member can be connected to a side of the panel for supporting items relevant to the poster or posters held by the poster holder.

In practical use, when several small-sized posters are to be held by the poster holder of the present invention, they can be simply inserted between the second cover members and the panel, so as to keep each poster at a certain position on the supporting surface. Attaching the first cover member to the back member then holds the second cover members and the posters therebetween and prevents the posters from being tampered with. Since both the first and second cover members are transparent, the posters can be seen clearly through two cover members. When a full-sized poster is to be held by the poster holder, the second cover members lie against the back member and the poster is held between the first and the secdnd cover members.

In using the poster holder of the present invention, it is very simple to change one or more poster(s) held therein, and to change the mode of use from holding one or more poster(s) of one size to holding more or more poster(s) of another size.

In order that he present invention may be more clearly understood, and by way of example only, embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1A is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1B, is a plan view of a second cover member shown in Fig. lA; Fig. 2A shows an exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2B is a section on A-A in Fig. 2A; Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 shows an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a top view showing an assembly of two poster holders according to the fourth embodiment mounted back to back.

Fig. IA shows the first embodiment of the present invention. A back board or panel 10 is a rigid rectangular panel. It may have a first central slot 15 just above its centre line, and a second central slot 16 just above its bottom edge. At the bottom edge, a lip portion 11 extends forwardly and upwardly to define a channel part. The board 10 has two second cover members 30 attached to its supporting surface. Each second cover member 20 is generally rectangular with a flap portion 31 extending from one edge, as shown in Fig. 1B. The second cover member 30 is generally rectangular with a flap portion 31 extending from one edge, as shown in Fig. 1B.

The second cover member 30 is made of flexible (but selfsupporting) and transparent material, such as a PVC sheet. The member 30 is attached to the board 10, e.g.

by inserting the flap portion 31 through a slot on the board 10, then the flap portion can be folded and glued to the back surface of the board 10. Thus, the mounting means are invisible from the front flap. The cover members can be bent and/or hinged away from the board but are desirably resiliently urged to lie against it.

A first cover member 20, which is also made of a transparent material such as a heavier gauge of PVC sheet, is a rectangular panel of the same shape and size as the back board 10. At the top there is a folded-over portion 21 defining a narrow channel which can be widened against a resilient force. The cover member 20 can be attached t9 the back board 10 by clipping the folded-over part 21 over the top of the member 20 while the bottom of the member 20 sits in the channel part 11 of the board 10.

A large poster can be mounted over the second cover members by connection of the first cover member 20.

Smaller posters can be mounted behind the second cover members 30. It should be noted that embodiments can have any number of second cover members 30 to divide the supporting surface of the back board 10 into any desired member of smaller areas of desired shapes and sizes for posters of different shapes and sizes. The second cover members 30 can be attached to the back board 10 in other ways than that described above. Since the second cover member 30 are preferably only attached to the back board 10 by their bottom edges, it is convenient to "open" a second cover member 30 as shown in Fig. 1A and to insert a poster of a small size between the second cover member 30 and the back board 10. In this way, each of the small-sized posters is kept at a certain position by a second cover member 30.

Fig. 2A shows the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the back board 10 is surrounded by a frame 13 which has slots 12 in the lateral edges. The board and frame may be a unitary plastics thermoforming as shown in Fig. 2B, the frame being provided by a peripheral channel formation The first cover member 20 has laterally projecting engaging parts 22.

Fig. 3 shows the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the back board is a simple board, e.g. of timber or MDF. The first cover member 20 has a top channel formation 21 for engaging over the top of the board 10, and a bottom flange 23 for extending beneath the bottom of the board.

Fig.4 shows the fourth embodiment of the present invention. This is generally the same as the first embodiment, with the addition of a side board 40 attached to the back board 10. On this side board 40, there can be a holding part 41 for holding labels, cards, pamphlets etc. which have information relevant to the poster display. A number of supporting holes 42 are formed on the side board 40 so that racks for small items can be supported. In this arrangement, products or samples relating to the poster can be shown side by side with the poster, and if more than one poster is held by the poster holder, different products or items can also be shown side by side with each relevant poster. The side board 40 can be attached to the back board 10 at predetermined angles so that an assembly of poster holder and side board can stand on the ground by itself. Fig. 5 shows a top plan view of two poster holder/side board assemblies which are arranged to stand back to back so that there is no need for other supporting means for them. This arrangement is especially convenient for a temporary display of information and quick distribution of related material. It is very convenient, easy to move and highly flexible for different size posters and different products or items relating to the posters.

Claims (8)

1. A poster holder having a back panel for supporting one or more posters; a first clear cover member locatable over a first area of the panel to retain a relatively large poster; at least one second clear cover member smaller than the first cover member and adapted to be mounted to the panel so as to overlie a portion of said first area; there being means for holding the back panel and the first cover member together with the second cover member held therebetween.

2. A poster holder according to claim 1 wherein the first area of the panel is divided into a plurality of second areas, each second area having a respective second clear cover member which can hold a poster to that area.

3. A poster holder according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the or each second clear cover member is made of a flexible material.

4. A poster holder according to any preceding claim wherein the or each second clear cover member is attached to the panel by having a folded edge portion passing through a slot in the panel and having the edge portion secured to the back of the panel.

5. A poster holder according to any preceding claim further including a further supporting member connected to a side of the panel for supporting items relevant to the poster or posters held by the poster holder.

6. A poster holder according to any preceding claim wherein the first clear cover has a means defining a channel at one edge for hooking over an edge region of the back panel.

7. A poster holder according to any of claims 1-5 wherein the back panel has a frame which projects forwardly of a main panel portion which provides said first area, said frame having slots; and said first clear cover has mounting tabs for engagement in the slots.

8. A poster holder substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.