GB2326965A - Vehicle-mounted displays - Google Patents

Description

Title: "Display vehicle" Description of the invention Conventionally, advertising displays and the like in public thoroughfares take one of two basic forms, static or changing. Static displays typically comprise posters which are pasted to hoardings, whereas changing displays take various forms which involve moving elements which present a succession of differing displays over a period of time by a variety of mechanical means.

Static, i.e. unchanging, displays have also been mounted on road vehicles for mobile display, but these attract little attention because of their essentially static nature.

According to the invention I provide a vehicle having mounted thereon at least one display apparatus which comprises a display area, a plurality of different display panels each of a size corresponding to that of the display area, and motor-driven means for automatically advancing each display panel successively through the display area.

The motor-driven means preferably is arranged to advance the display panels successively into the display area and maintain each panel on display therein for a predetermined period of time, which may be variable.

The display panels may be provided on a continuous belt which is advanced by the motor-driven means. The belt may be formed into an endless loop which passes over at least two rollers so that the display panels are continuously displayed in the same sequence as the endless loop belt is advanced.

However, preferably the belt is wound and unwound on a pair of storage rollers so that the display panels are alternately displayed in an opposite sequence by reversing the direction of advancement of the belt.

In either case, the rollers may be driven by means of electric motors, acting through a reduction gear, and to maintain each panel in the display area, means may be provided to disengage one gear element of said reduction gear from another gear element thereof.

For this purpose, an electrically energised solenoid may be used under the control of a detector which is arranged to detect a respective display panel marker formed on the belt in association with each display panel thereof. For example, the detector may comprise an optical detector responsive to an area of reflective foil. Alternatively, magnetic or mechanical sensors may be employed.

Where reversal of the belt is required, a further detector may be provided to respond to an end-of-belt marker, in order to reverse the direction of advancement of the belt.

Preferably, means are provided for illuminating the display panel in the display area.

Several such display apparatus can be carried by a single vehicle. For example, two such display apparatus may be arranged back-to-back so that their respective display areas face opposite lateral sides of the vehicle.

However, preferably, the vehicle comprises a van with box body which affords two side walls and a rear wall, and at least one such display apparatus is provided at each of said walls. Thus, in a typical case, three display apparatus may be provided at the adjacent sides of the body.

However, in some cases the lateral side of the body may be long enough to accommodate two or more adjacent display apparatus.

Whilst it is preferred for each display apparatus to occupy substantially the whole of the area of the respective wall of the body, it will be appreciated that in some instances several smaller displays may be provided.

These and other features of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 illustrates a van equipped with three display units in accordance with the invention (only two of which are visible); FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of one display unit in front view; FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the display unit in side view; and FIGURE 4 illustrates one form of disengageable driving mechanism associated with a drive roller iri the display unit.

As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle comprises a generally conventional van 10 having a box-body 11 which includes sides walls 12 (only one of which is visible) and a rear wall 13, each of a generally rectangular and upright form.

The walls 12 and 13 each define a rectangular display area 14, which is defined by a transparent window 15 which occupies a substantial majority of the entire area of the wall, as illustrated.

Appropriate illumination (not shown) may be provided adjacent to the window 15.

Associated with each window is a respective belt 20 which carries a series of advertising display panels 21 spaced along the length thereof. Typically, each belt may include three to eight such display panels.

The belt passes over rollers 22,23 adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the respective window 15, and the size of each display panel 21 corresponds substantially with the size of the respective window 15.

The belt is connected to its ends to respective storage rollers 24,25 behind the display area 14, and the rollers 24,25 may be driven in any suitable manner such that each display panel 21 is visible in the associated window 15 in sequence as the belt is repeatedly wound and unwound between the storage rollers.

Whilst the belt 20 may be continuously movable, preferably each display panel is held stationary in the window 15 for a predetermined period of time.

For this purpose, the storage rollers 24,25 are coupled to a respective driving assembly 30,30a each of which comprises an electric motor 31 with an associated gearbox 32 having an output pinion 33 which meshes with a drive pinion 34 carried at the end of the respective storage roller 24,25. The motor 31 and gearbox 32 are mounted on an arm 35 which is itself secured by means of a pivot pin 36 to a frame member 16 adjacent to a side edge of the associated window 15. Two solenoids 37,38 are also mounted on the frame member 16 and connected to the free end of the arm 35 by means of links 39. One of the solenoids is energised to move the associated arm 35 in one direction and the other to move the arm in the opposite direction, under the control of the associated detectors.

In the position as illustrated, the output pinion 33 is engaged with the drive pinion 34 so that energisation of the motor 31 causes the belt 20 to be advanced from one storage roller towards the other.

The respective motor, gearbox and solenoid assemblies 30,30a serve to advance the belt 20 in opposite directions.

The operation of the motors and solenoids is controlled by means of detectors responsive to appropriate markers formed on the belt 20. The detectors may be optical detectors responsive, for example, to reflective patches applied to the belt.

As illustrated, respective display panel marker patches 40 are provided adjacent to each display panel 21 at one side thereof. A detector 41 is provided to respond to each marker patch 40 associated with the display panels 21 so that when a display panel becomes aligned with the window 15 the motor 31 which is in operation at that point is de-energised for a predetermined period of time during which the display panel remains visible in the window. At the end of the predetermined period of time, the motor is re-energised to advance the belt to align the next display panel with the window.

Friction braking may be applied to the storage rollers 24,25 to hold them stationary when the belt is not being advanced. For this purpose a friction belt (not shown) may be arranged to extend around the two rollers.

Further end-of-belt marker patches 42 (only one of which is visible in Figure 2) are provided towards each end of the belt, at the opposite side of the display panels to that at which the display panel marker patches 40 are provided and at positions laterally offset from each other, so as to register with corresponding end-of-belt detectors 43,44.

When the belt 20 reaches its end of travel, one of the end of travel marker patches 42 registers with the corresponding end-of-travel detector 43 or 44 and operates the solenoids 37,38 of the two driving assemblies so as to swivel the arm 35 which carries the motor 31 then in operation in such a sense as to disengage the associated output pinion 33 from the corresponding drive pinion 34, and correspondingly to bring the drive pinion 34 of the other driving assembly into engagement with its output pinion 33. Energisation of the motor 31 of such other driving assembly then advances the belt 20 in the reverse direction.

In an alternative arrangement, the belt 20 may be formed into a continuous loop, and additional rollers (not shown) may be provided to form a storage zone behind the display area 14 to accommodate the display panels not for the time being in register with window 15, so that the total length of the belt can be sufficient to accommodate the required number of display panels.

Claims (15)

Claims

1: A vehicle having mounted thereon at least one display apparatus which comprises a display area, a plurality of different display panels each of a size corresponding to that of the display area, and motor-driven means for automatically advancing each display panel successively through the display area.

2. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the motor-driven means is arranged to advance the display panels successively into the display area and maintain each panel on display therein for a predetermined period of time.

3. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the predetermined period of time is variable.

4. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the display panels are provided on a continuous belt which is advanced by the motor-driven means.

5. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the belt is formed into an endless loop which passes over at least two rollers so that the display panels are continuously displayed in the same sequence as the endless loop belt is advanced.

6. A vehicle as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the belt is wound and unwound on a pair of storage rollers so that the display panels are alternately displayed in an opposite sequence by reversing the direction of advancement of the belt.

7. A vehicle as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the rollers are driven by means of electric motors, acting through a reduction gear, and to maintain each panel in the display area, means are provided to disengage one gear element of said reduction gear from another gear element thereof.

8. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein an electrically energised solenoid is used under the control of a detector which is arranged to detect a respective display panel marker formed on the belt in association with each display panel thereof.

9. - A vehicle as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the detector comprises an optical detector responsive to an area of reflective foil.

10. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the display panels are provided on a belt, the direction of movement of which can be reversed, and wherein a detector is provided to respond to an end-of-belt marker, in order to reverse the direction of advancement of the belt.

11. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein means are provided for illuminating the display panel in the display area.

12. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, which carries a plurality of display apparatus, each of which apparatus comprises a display area, a plurality of different display panels each of a size corresponding to that of the display area, and motor-driven means for automatically advancing each display panel successively through the display area.

13. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the vehicle carries two display apparatus arranged back-to-back so that their respective display areas face opposite lateral sides of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the vehicle comprises a van with box body which affords two side walls and a rear wall, and at least one display apparatus is provided at each of said walls.

15. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.