Sign assembly with adjustable corners

• US 5,621,994 A
• Filed: 05/04/1995
• Issued: 04/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: APCO Graphics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: APCO Graphics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hampton, Jeff A., Roberts, Danny L., Cobb, Ronald W., Bell, Benjamin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Cassandra
• Application Number:
  US08/434,245
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 40/156, 40/155, 40/157, 40/152, 40/152.1, 40/605, 40/782, 40/739, 403/401, 403/93, 403/65
• US Class Current: 40/782
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/65 Miter joints
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0012 frames therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32172 Variable angle

Abstract

A sign frame for directory or other applications, and having adjustable corners permitting the sign to assume orthogonal and nonorthogonal configurations. Each adjustable corner connector has first and second elements that respectively connect to contiguous ends of adjacent edge members making up the sign. The elements of the adjustable corner connector are pivotably interconnected at hubs that are spatially displaced from the edge members, so that the hubs fit within the outline of the assembled frame without interfering with the edge members making up that frame.

Claims

1. An adjustable sign assembly, comprising:

a plurality of elongate edge members each having first and second ends;

the edge members being arranged in an end-to-end configuration with the first end of one of said edge members located adjacent to the second end of another of said edge members at an included angle between adjacent edge members to form corners of a sign frame having a predetermined overall polygonal planar configuration;

separate corner connectors operatively interconnecting the adjacent ends forming at least some of the corners;

at least one said corner connector including means selectably adjustable to vary the included angle between two adjacent ones of said elongate edge members through a range of angles, thereby adjusting the overall polygonal configuration in the plane of the sign frame; and

said adjustable means being affixed to the two adjacent ones of said elongate edge members in lateral offset relation to said adjacent elongate edge members, thereby allowing said first and second ends of the elongate edge members to contact one another without interferences from the adjustable means.

2. The sign assembly as in claim 1, wherein:

each corner of the sign frame is interconnected by a separate one of said corner connectors so that the included angle at each corner of the sign frame is separately adjustable to vary the overall polygonal configuration of the sign frame; and

each one of the separate corner connectors includes a said adjustable means laterally offset from the adjacent edge members forming the corners of the sign frame, so that the adjustable means are located in lateral offset relation to the edge members and within the frame comprised by the elongate edge members.

3. The sign assembly as in claim 1, wherein each of said corner connectors comprises:

a first element connected to an end of one of said edge members and a second element connected to a contiguous end of the adjacent one of said edge members; and

said adjustable means interconnects the first and second elements of the corner connector and selectably adjusts the included between the first and second elements in the plane of the sign frame, thereby adjusting the included angle between the edge members connected to the corner connectors, throughout the range of angles,

so as to maintain the sign frame in a predetermined polygonal configuration determined by the selected adjustment of the corner connectors.

4. The sign assembly as in claim 3, wherein:

the interconnecting means comprises a hub connected to one element of the corner connector and a complementary hub connected to the other element thereof;

the hubs being operative to fit together for said adjustable angular positioning of the elements.

5. The sign assembly as in claim 4, further comprising:

means releasably locking together the hubs at a selected mutual angular position in the range of angles.

6. The sign assembly as in claim 5, further comprising:

indicia associated with at least one of the hubs to indicate the selected angular position of the hubs.

7. The sign assembly as in claim 3, wherein each said element of the corner connectors comprises:

a plate attached to the contiguous adjacent end of one of the edge members in parallel relation to an elongate extent of the edge member;

a support web connected to the plate and extending to a remote end laterally spaced apart from one edge member; and

angle adjusting means located at the remote end and operative for connection to a corresponding angle adjusting means located at the corresponding remote end of the other element of the corner connector;

so that the corner connector allows adjusting the included angle between the adjacent edge members without interference from the angle adjusting means laterally spaced apart from the adjacent edge members.

8. The sign assembly as in claim 7, wherein:

the angle adjusting means of one of said first and second elements comprises a first hub of circular configuration, and for the other said element comprises a complementary hub for angularly pivotable operative association with the first hub; and

the hubs are supported by the respective support webs for location laterally spaced apart from the adjacent edge members.

9. The sign assembly as in claim 7, wherein:

the plate of each element is configured to be received within a channel formed in the contiguous end of the adjacent edge member.

10. An adjustable sign assembly, comprising:

a plurality of elongate edge members each having first and second ends;

the edge members being arranged in an end-to-end configuration with the first end of one of said edge members located adjacent to the second end of another of said edge members at an included angle between adjacent edge members to form corners of a sign frame having a predetermined overall polygonal planar configuration;

separate corner connectors operatively interconnecting the adjacent ends forming at least some of the corners, at least one said connector being selectably adjustable to vary the included angle through a range of angles, thereby adjusting the overall polygonal configuration in the plane of the sign frame;

each of said corner connectors comprising;

a first element connected to an end of one of said edge members and a second element connected to a contiguous end of the adjacent one of said edge members; and

means interconnecting the first and second elements of the corner connector for adjustably fixable mutual angular positioning of the first and second elements in the plane of the sign frame, and thus of the edge members connected to the corner connectors, throughout the range of angles, so as to maintain the sign frame in a predetermined polygonal configuration determined by the fixed angular position of the corner connectors;

each said element of said corner connectors comprising;

a plate attached to the contiguous adjacent end of one of the edge members in parallel relation to an elongate extent of one edge member;

a support web connected to the plate and extending to a remote end spaced apart from one edge member; and

angle adjusting means at the remote end operative for complementary and angularly-adjustable connection to the corresponding angle adjusting means of the other said element of the corner connector,

so that the corner connector allows adjusting the included angle between the adjacent edge members without interference from the angle adjusting means laterally spaced apart from the adjacent edge members;

the angle adjusting means of one of said first and second elements comprises a first hub of circular configuration, and for the other said element comprises a complementary hub for angularly pivotable operative association with the first-mentioned hub;

the hubs are supported by the respective support webs for location laterally spaced apart from the adjacent edge members;

the first hub has a circular boss extending on an axis perpendicular to the planar configuration of the sign frame and having an opening;

the complementary hub has a circular recess receiving the boss for relative rotation through the range of angles and having an opening coaxial with the opening in the first hub; and

a fastener extending in the coaxial openings and selectively operative to secure the hubs at a selected included angle.

11. An adjustable corner connector for use in fabricating a sign assembly including a plurality of elongate edge members each having first and second ends, so that the edge members are connected in an end-to-end configuration with a first end of one said edge member located adjacent to a second said end of another edge member at an included angle between adjacent edge members to form corners of a sign frame having a predetermined overall polygonal planar configuration, the corner connector comprising:

a first element configured for connection to an end of an edge member in a certain alignment therewith and a second element configured for connection to a contiguous end of the adjacent edge member in certain alignment therewith; and

means interconnecting the first and second elements of the corner connector for adjustably fixable mutual angular positioning of the first and second elements in the plane of the sign frame, and thus of the edge members connected to the corner connectors, throughout the range of angles, so as to maintain the sign frame in a predetermined polygonal configuration determined by the fixed angular position of the corner connectors;

each said element of the corner connector comprising;

a plate adapted for attachment to the contiguous adjacent end of one of the edge members in parallel relation to an elongate extent of the edge member;

a support web connected to the plate and extending to a remote end spaced apart from one edge member; and

angle adjusting means at the remote end operative for complementary and angularly-adjustable connection to a corresponding angle adjusting means of the other said element of the corner connector, so that the corner connector allows adjusting the included angle between the adjacent edge members without interference from the angle adjusting means disposed apart from the adjacent edge members;

the angle adjusting means of one of said first and second elements comprises a first hub of circular configuration, and for the other said element comprises a complementary hub for angularly pivotable operative association with the first hub;

the hubs are supported by the respective webs for location outside the elongate extents of the adjacent edge members;

the first hub has a circular boss extending on an axis perpendicular to the planar configuration of the sign frame and having an opening;

the complementary hub has a circular recess receiving the boss for relative rotation through the range of angles and having an opening coaxial with the opening in the first hub; and

a fastener extending in the coaxial openings and selectively operative to secure the hubs at a selected included angle.

12. An adjustable frame assembly for defining a frame having a predetermined planar configuration, comprising:

a plurality of elongate members each having a pair of ends;

the elongate members being arranged in an end-to-end configuration with one said end of each said elongate member at a predetermined included angle adjacent to a said end of another said elongate member to form corners of the frame with the predetermined planar configuration; and

adjustable corner connectors interconnecting adjacent said ends of the elongate members at least at some corners of the frame, each of the corner connectors comprising;

first and second elements affixed to respective elongate members proximate to the adjacent ends forming the corner, each such element including a portion extending from the respective elongate member to terminate at a remote end laterally spaced apart from the adjacent end of the respective elongate member; and

adjusting means interconnecting the remote ends of the first and second elements and selectively operable to adjust the included angle between the first and second elements of the corner connector, so as to maintain the predetermined included angle at the corner;

with the laterally spaced-apart location of the adjusting means at the remote ends of the first and second elements locating the adjusting means out of longitudinal alignment with the elongate members at the corner and inside the frame formed by the elongate members, whereby the angle adjusting means does not interfere with the adjacent ends at the corner.

13. The frame as in claim 12, wherein:

said portions of the corner connector elements extend both laterally and longitudinally from the respective elongate members to which the corner connectors are affixed, so as to locate the adjusting means beyond the ends of the respective elongate members.

14. The frame as in claim 12, wherein:

said portions of the corner connector elements extend substantially diagonally from the respective elongate members to which the corner connectors are affixed, so as to locate the adjusting means inside the frame and beyond the ends of the respective elongate members.