Elliptical corrugated signage

Abstract

A corrugated display sign with a main body having an inner surface and an outer surface, with the body including a first portion and a second portion. The sign further includes at least one or more formers, and in some embodiments two or more formers, secured to the first portion of the inner surface of the main body, with the formers each including a tab section that secures the former to the main body, a front body portion with a wing portion, and a back body portion with a wing portion. Further, the second portion of the main body is folded around the first portion and the formers, so as to create an elongated elliptical shape for the sign. The display sign is capable of being erected from a knockdown configuration to an erected configuration by folding the former body portions and the wing, and folding the second portion of the main body around the first portion and the formers.

Claims

1. A method of making a display sign that is moveable between a flat configuration and a three-dimensional configuration, the method comprising: forming a main body with a first section coupled to a second section; and joining a proximal end of a former to the first section of the main body such that the former is moveable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein moving the former between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration causes the display sign to move between the flat configuration and the three-dimensional configuration, respectively, wherein the distal end of the former is positioned adjacent to the first section when the former is in the stowed configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display sign is formed from corrugated paperboard material and wherein the distal end of the former is displaced from the first section when the former is in the deployed configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the former includes forming a tab section, a front former body extending from the tab section, a back former body extending from a distal end of the front former body towards the tab portion, a front wing extending from an edge of the front former body, and a back wing extending from an edge of the back former body.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the former is generally orthogonal with the main body when the former is in the deployed configuration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the front and back wings are each moveable between respective stowed and deployed configurations, the front and back wings being generally orthogonal with the first and second portions of the main body and with respective front and back former bodies of the former when the front and back wings are in their respective deployed configurations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the front wing extends in a first direction when the front wing is in its deployed configuration and wherein the back wing extends in a second direction when the back wing is in its deployed configuration, the first and second directions being generally opposite each other.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the display sign is formed with a graphic display.

8. A display sign moveable between a flat configuration and a three-dimensional configuration, the display sign comprising: a main body having first and second portions coupled together, said second portion being folded over said first portion; and a former moveable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, said former being positioned between said first and second portions of said main body, wherein said former includes: a tab section coupled to an inner surface of said first portion of said main body; a body portion extending from said tab section; and a front wing portion extending from an edge of said body portion, wherein said former is moveable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration by rotating said body portion relative to said tab section, thereby causing the display sign to move from the flat configuration to the three-dimensional configuration, and wherein a distal end of said body portion is positioned adjacent to an inner surface of said second portion of said main body when the display sign is in the three-dimensional configuration and said former is in the deployed configuration.

9. The display sign of claim 8, wherein said display sign is formed from corrugated paperboard material and wherein said distal end of said former is not coupled to said second portion of said main body.

10. The display sign of claim 8, wherein said second portion is configured to be folded about said first portion via fold lines.

11. The display sign of claim 8, wherein said former is generally orthogonal with said main body when said former is in the deployed configuration.

12. The display sign of claim 11, wherein said front wing portion is moveable between stowed and deployed configurations, said front wing portion being generally orthogonal with said first and second portions of said main body and with said former body when said front wing portion is in its deployed configuration.

13. The display sign of claim 12, further comprising a rear wing portion extending from an edge of said body portion, said rear wing portion being moveable between stowed and deployed configurations, wherein said front wing portion extends in a first direction when said front wing portion is in its deployed configuration and wherein said back wing portion extends in a second direction when said back wing portion is in its deployed configuration, the first and second directions being generally opposite each other.

14. The display sign of claim 8, wherein said main body defines an outer surface that is operable to include a graphic display.

15. A method of erecting a display sign, comprising: providing the display sign in a knockdown configuration, wherein the display sign includes: a main body with a first portion and a second portion; a former comprising: a body portion hingedly coupled to the first portion of the main body; folding the body portion of the former until it is generally orthogonal with the main body; and folding the second portion of the main body around the first portion and the former, wherein the former comprises a wing portion hingedly coupled to the body portion, the wing portion defining at least part of a first curved edge.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the display sign is formed from corrugated paperboard material and wherein the body portion is folded flat against the first portion of the main body when the display sign is in the knockdown configuration.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: forming a graphic display on an outer surface of the display sign.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the former defines a second curved edge opposed to the first curved edge such that when the second portion of the main body is folded around the former, the main body is shaped in an elongated ellipse.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wing portion defines at least part of the second curved edge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is perspective view of a signage assembly in a knockdown configuration according to embodiments of the present invention, with the signage assembly including a main body and two formers;

(3) FIG. 2 is partial perspective view of a former from the signage assembly from FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the signage assembly from FIG. 1, with the formers erected;

(5) FIG. 4 is perspective view of the signage assembly from FIG. 1 in an additional partial knockdown configuration according to embodiments of the present invention, with the main body folded around two formers that are shown in knockdown configuration in FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 5 is perspective view of the signage assembly from FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 in an erected configuration according to embodiments of the present invention, with the signage positioned horizontally; and

(7) FIG. 6 is perspective view of the signage assembly from FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5 in the erected configuration according to embodiments of the present invention, with the signage positioned vertically.

(8) The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(9) The following detailed description of the invention references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

(10) In this description, references to one embodiment, an embodiment, or embodiments mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to one embodiment, an embodiment, or embodiments in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

(11) As used herein, the term longitudinal generally refers to an orientation or direction relative to an axis of elongation, whereas lateral refers to an orientation or direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis of elongation.

(12) Embodiments of the present invention provide a corrugated paperboard signage assembly 10 that is capable of initially being provided in a two-dimensional knockdown configuration, such as illustrated in FIG. 1. From the knockdown configuration, the signage assembly 10 is capable of being erected into a three-dimensional configuration, such as illustrated in FIG. 6. Remaining with FIG. 1, the signage assembly 10 of embodiments of the present invention comprises a main body 12 and a pair of die cut formers 14 that are attached to the main body. In certain embodiments, each of the main body 12 and the formers 14 are formed from corrugated material. In some embodiments, such corrugated material includes paperboard. Nevertheless, other embodiments provide for the corrugated material to include other similar type materials, such as cardboard, fiberboard, or the like. In certain embodiments, the main body 14 comprises a rectangular-shaped panel of corrugated material. Nevertheless, in other embodiments, portions of the main body 12 are formed in other geometric shapes, such as hyperbolic, elliptical, segmented, or the like.

(13) As illustrated by FIG. 2, each of the formers 14 are formed from a single piece of corrugated material that includes a tab portion 16, a front former body portion 18 extending from the tab portion, and a back former body portion 20 extending from the front former body portion. In certain embodiments, the formers 14 are secured to an inner surface of the main body 12 via an adhesive, such as glue, tape, or the like. In addition, in some embodiments, the front former body portion 18 and back former body portion 20 are secured to each other via an adhesive. Nevertheless, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, other means of joining now known or hereinafter developed are used, including but not necessarily limited to various styles of fasteners, such as staples, rivets, hooks, pins, and the like. With reference to FIG. 1, each of the formers 14 are secured to a first portion 22 of the main body 12, such that a second portion 24 of the main body are capable of being folded over the first portion and the formers 14. In certain embodiments, the second portion 24 is folded about a fold line (not shown) positioned longitudinally along of the main body 12, as will be discussed in more detail below. In certain embodiments, the fold line is positioned down a longitudinal centerline of the main body 12, such that the first portion 22 and the second portion 24 comprise equal halves of the main body. Nevertheless, in other embodiments, the first portion 22 is larger than the second portion 24, such that when the second portion is folded over the first portion, some of the first portion is left free to fold under the second portion and is thus capable of beings secured to the second portion, as shown by FIGS. 4-5 and as will be discussed in more detail below.

(14) As shown in FIG. 3, in certain embodiments, the front former body portion 18 folds or rotates with respect to the tab portion 16 along a pre-folded, pre-weakened or perforated fold line connecting the former body portion to the tab portion. For example, in some embodiments, the fold line is formed by compressing along a thin line defining the fold line. Similarly, in some embodiments, the back former body portion 20 folds or rotates with respect to the tab portion 16 along a pre-folded, pre-weakened or perforated fold line connecting the former body portion to the tab portion. Returning to FIG. 2, the front former body portion 18 includes a front wing portion 26 and the back former body portion 20 includes a back wing portion 28 extending therefrom. As shown in FIG. 2-3, the front former body portion 18 and the front wing portion 26 of the front former body portion are also be separated by a fold line so that the front wing portion is capable of being folded or rotated with respect to the former body portion. Additionally, some embodiments provide for the back former body portion 20 and the back wing portion 28 to be separate by a fold line so that the back wing portion is capable of being folded or rotated with respect to the former body portion. In certain embodiments, the wing portions 26, 28 are formed in the shape of a semi-circle. However, in other embodiments, the wing portions 26, 28 are formed in other shapes, such as squares, triangles, ellipses, or the like. As will be discussed in more detail below, the shape of the wings portions allow for a corresponding shape main body 14 when the signage assembly is formed in its erected configuration.

(15) As shown in FIG. 1, in the knockdown configuration of the signage assembly 10, the tab 16 for each former body 14 is attached to the main body 12, and the front former body portion 18 and back former body portion 20 are secured together, leaving the front wing portion 26 and the back wing portion 28 separated from each other (e.g. not secured together). Each former body 14 is positioned generally flat against the main body 12, with the back former body portion 20 positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the main body and the front former body portion 18 positioned against the back former body portion (or vice versa). In certain embodiments, such as illustrated in FIG. 4, the knockdown configuration of the signage assembly 10 has the second portion 24 of the main body 12 folded around the first portion 22 of the main body 12 and the formers 14, such that the first portion overlaps slightly (e.g. 1 or 2 inches) with the second portion, creating an overlapping section 30 of the first portion. In certain embodiments, the overlapping section 30 of the first portion 22 is folded underneath the second portion via a fold line and secured with the second portion 24 via glue or the like. As such, the signage assembly 10 is configurable in a flat, knockdown configuration that facilitates storage and transportation. In certain other embodiments, the signage assembly 10 is folded numerous additional times to further reduce a footprint size of the signage assembly for storage and/or transport.

(16) In operation, the signage assembly 10 is capable of being erected from the knockdown configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 or 4, to the erected configuration illustrated in FIGS. 5-6 by performing the following steps. First, the signage assembly 10 is unfolded or unflattened from any folds that were applied for storage and/or transportation purposes (e.g. first portion 22 and section portion 24 of main body 12 are spread apart from each other), until the signage assembly is positioned in the unfolded or opened/elliptical, knockdown configuration shown in FIG. 4. Next, the formers 14 are folded away from the inner surface of the main body 12 about the tab 16, until the former bodies 18, 20 are generally positioned in an orthogonal orientation with respect to the main body 12 (i.e., the formers position illustrated in FIG. 3). Thereafter, the wing portions 26, 28 of the front and back former portions 18, 20, respectively, are folded to be generally orthogonal with the former portions 18, 20, such that the wing portions act as structural supports for the first and second portions 22, 24 of the main body 12 (i.e., such as illustrated in FIG. 5). Thus, the formers 14 are operable to create and support the main body 12 into an elongated elliptical shape. As such, the signage assembly 10 is in an erected, three-dimensional configuration, such as illustrated in FIG. 5-6. Thereafter, the signage assembly 10 is positioned on a ground surface with a longitudinal direction of the signage assembly being generally vertical with the ground surface, such as illustrated in FIG. 6. In such a position, the signage assembly 10 is self-supporting. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the signage assembly 10 includes graphic displays on its outer surface, such that the signage assembly is formed for use as a graphic display and/or sign for marketing or other display purposes.

(17) Although former bodies 18, 20 are shown in FIG. 4 as being separated from each other (e.g. not glued or otherwise adhered together) other than at tab 16, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, former bodies 18 and 20 are connected together along the edges directly opposing tab 16. In some such embodiments, former bodies 18 and 20 are two portions of a single piece of material that is folded together along the joining edge, which oppose tab 16. Further, in some such embodiments, former bodies 18 and 20 are adhered together via and adhesive placed along adjoining surfaces of former bodies 18 and 20. In such embodiments, former bodies 18 and 20 will be folded flat together with each other when in knock down configurations such as in the manner shown in FIG. 1. In embodiments in which former bodies 18 and 20 are adhered to each other, wing portions 26 and 28 remain separated from each other in the manner discussed above. In some embodiments, tab 16 includes two tab portions, with one tab each attached or formed from each of former bodies 18 and 20.

(18) Although the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. For instance, it will be appreciated that in certain embodiments the signage assembly 10 of the present invention is capable of being utilized in either a vertical or horizontal orientation (i.e., about either a longitudinal or lateral direction of the assembly). In some embodiments in which the signage is utilized in a horizontal orientation, additional structure, such as bottom support tabs or feet are utilized to support the signage assembly 10 to provide for additional support.

(19) In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the description and illustration of the inventions is by way of example, and the scope of the inventions is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

(20) Although the foregoing detailed description of the present invention has been described by reference to an exemplary embodiment, and the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that certain changes, modification or variations may be made in embodying the above invention, and in the construction thereof, other than those specifically set forth herein, may be achieved by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such changes, modification or variations are to be considered as being within the overall scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover the present invention and any and all changes, modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. Consequently, the scope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by the attached claims, all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

(21) Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the invention is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims.

(22) It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.