Component sign system

• US 4,817,317 A
• Filed: 12/30/1986
• Issued: 04/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Signcomp LLC
• Original Assignee: Signcomp LLC
• Inventors: Kovalak, Judson L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peshock, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/947,689
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 40/574, 40/603, 40/575, 40/615, 40/549, 40/611, 40/155, 40/152, 16/264, 16/355
• US Class Current: 40/603
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0454 Slidable panels or parts

Abstract

An illuminated sign structure is fabricated from a plurality of individual components. A main frame, box or housing includes top, bottom and side members which define an enclosure for a light source. The top member of the body defines a peripheral face flange which forms a semicircular hinge groove and an elongated, generally U-shaped drain channel. A face frame includes a top frame member having a horizontally extending hinge flange which terminates in a hinge bead. The bead is disposed within the hinge groove. A plurality of fasteners positioned through apertures in the hinge flange capture the hinge bead within the hinge groove. Either a rigid or flexible sheet signal face is supported on the face frame. A plurality of elongated tension rails disposed within tension channels defined by the face frame support the flexible sign face. Adjustable fasteners contact the tension rails and stretch the sign face over sign face lips defined by the face frame structure.

Claims

1. A component display sign comprising:

a generally rectangular main frame including a plurality of joined body frame members, each body frame member including an outer wall and a configured peripheral face flange extending generally perpendicular to said outer wall, said peripheral face flange of each body frame member defining an elongated, generally semicircular, outwardly opening hinge groove and an elongated drain channel adjacent said elongated hinge groove, said hinge groove defining a lower edge and said drain channel being integral with and extending along said lower edge;

a generally rectangular face frame including a plurality of joined face frame members, each face frame member including an elongated hinge flange having an integral hinge bead, said integral hinge bead being disposed within one of said hinge grooves and wherein each of said hinge flanges defines a plurality of spaced apertures overlying one of said elongated drain channels; and

a plurality of hinge fasteners, each fastener positioned through an aperture of one of said face frame members and into a drain channel of one of said body frame members to capture said hinge bead within said hinge groove.

2. A component display sign as defined by claim 1 wherein each of said body frame members and said face frame members are integrally extruded as one-piece members.

3. A component display sign as defined in claim 2 wherein said face frame members each define an elongated tension channel.

4. A component display sign as defined by claim 3 further including:

a flexible sign face;

a plurality of elongated tension rails, each of said elongated tension rails being disposed within one of said elongated tension channels, and each of said elongated tension rails defining a sign face groove;

a plurality of flexible splines retaining peripheral edges of said sign face within said sign face grooves of said elongated tension rails; and

tension adjustment means on said face frame members and engaging said elongated tension rails for shifting said rails within said elongated tension channels and tensioning said flexible sign face.

5. A component display sign as defined by claim 4 wherein said face frame members each define a tension flange overlying said tension channel.

6. A component display sign as defined by claim 5 wherein said tension adjustment means comprises a plurality of fasteners threaded through said tension flanges and engaging said tension rails.

7. A component display sign as defined by claim 6 wherein said face frame members each define a sign face lip extending parallel to said tension channel in a horizontal plane.

8. A component display sign as defined by claim 7 further including a plurality of face covers, each face cover being secured to one of said face frame members.

9. A component display sign as defined by claim 8 wherein each of said face frame members defines a compression brace channel and said sign further includes a compression beam extending between and connected to brace channels of opposed face frame members.

10. A component display sign as defined by claim 9 wherein each of said face frame members defines an angle key channel and said sign further includes a plurality of angle keys disposed within said angle key channels to join the face frame members together.

11. A component display sign as defined by claim 8 wherein said body frame members define a retrofit flange extending from and joined to said peripheral face so that said main frame is adapted to be mounted on an existing sign cabinet.

12. A component display sign as defined by claim 6 wherein said face frame members each define a bleed lip extending at an acute angle with respect to said tension channel.

13. A component display sign as defined by claim 12 further including a plurality of face covers, each face cover being secured to one of said face frame members.

14. A component display sign as defined by claim 2 wherein each of said face frame members defines a compression brace channel and said sign further includes a compression beam extending between and connected to brace channels of opposed face frame members.

15. A component display sign as defined by claim 14 wherein each of said face frame members defines an angle key channel and said sign further includes a plurality of angle keys disposed within said angle key channels to join the face frame members together.

16. A component display sign as defined by claim 2 wherein each of said face frame members defines an outwardly extending lip and said sign further includes a plurality of face covers each joined to one of said face frame members, each of said covers including an edge adjacent to and spaced from said lip to define a slot.

17. A component display sign as defined by claim 16 further including a rigid sign face disposed within said slots defined by said covers and said face frame member lips.

18. A component display sign as defined by claim 17 wherein said body frame members define a retrofit flange extending from and joined to said peripheral face so that said main frame is adapted to be mounted on an existing sign cabinet.

19. A component display sign as defined by claim 1 wherein said body frame members define a retrofit flange extending from and joined to said peripheral face so that said main frame is adapted to be mounted on an existing sign cabinet.