Floor sign

• US 6,131,320 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Allsafe Co. (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: D'Arcy, Daniel Joseph, Davis, Donald Lawrence, Eberle, John David
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M
• Application Number:
  US08/949,914
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 40/606, 40/610, 16/265, 16/266, 16/268, 16/381, 16/225, 16/224, 16/254, 16/260, 16/271, 248/166, 248/127
• US Class Current: 40/610
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0062 collapsible

Abstract

Each display panel of a free-standing, foldable floor sign includes an integrally formed handle portion and male and female hinge projections. The male and female hinge projections snap together into interlocking engagement with each other in response to simultaneous axial compression. The male coupling member includes a resilient finger portion and a latching head, and the female coupling member includes a cylindrical collar having a latch pocket and a radially stepped, inwardly projecting retainer. The resilient finger portion is radially deflectable in response to sliding engagement of the latching head against the retainer to permit the latching head to clear the retainer and enter the latch pocket. The display panels are stabilized in a spread-apart service position by a locking arm that is pivotally coupled to the display panels for folding movement within longitudinal slots formed along side edges of the display panels. Two or more floor signs are linked together by chains to provide a wide area barrier to entry.

Claims

1. A floor sign including front and rear display panels, a hinge coupling the display panels together for opening and closing movement relative to each other, each display panel being intersected by a slot extending lengthwise along one side edge, and a locking arm having first and second end portions disposed within the slots of said front and rear display panels, respectively, said locking arm being movably coupled to the display panels for rotation to a free-standing service position in which the locking arm extends transversely with respect to the display panels, and to a retracted position in which the display panels are folded together and the locking arm extends substantially in alignment with at least one display panel.

2. A floor sign as set forth in claim 1, including:

first and second latch pins disposed in the first and second lengthwise slots, respectively; and

,

the locking arm being intersected by first and second notches formed on the first and second end portions, wherein the first and second latch pins are received within the first and second notches, respectively, when the display panels and locking arm are disposed in the service position.

3. A floor sign as set forth in claim 1, the locking arm including a stop bar attached to one end of the locking arm and projecting transversely with respect to said locking arm, the stop bar being engagable with one of the display panels for limiting closing rotation of the stop bar relative to the display panels in the retracted position.

4. A floor sign as set forth in claim 1, including:

a shoulder formed on the locking arm, the shoulder being disposed for slidable engagement against one of the display panels as the locking arm and the display panels rotate to the retracted position.

5. A free-standing, foldable floor sign comprising front and rear display panels, each display panel including male and female hinge projections integrally formed thereon, the male and female hinge projections on the front display panel being disposed in interlocking engagement with the male and female hinge projections on the rear display panel, and including a handle portion disposed between the male and female hinge projections in each display panel, the handle portions being rotatable with respect to each other during opening and closing movement of the display panels and the handle portions abutting each other when the display panels are spread apart in a free-standing operative service position, thereby opposing opening movement of the display panels beyond the operative service position, and including a locking arm coupled to the display panels for movement to a position of interlocking engagement with the display panels in which the locking arm opposes opening and closing movement of the display panels away from the operative service position.

6. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, the front and rear display panels being intersected by first and second slots, respectively, extending lengthwise along one side edge of said display panels, the locking arm including first and second end portions disposed within the first and second slots, respectively, the end portions being pivotally coupled to the display panels to permit rotation of the locking arm relative to the display panels during opening and closing movement of the display panels.

7. A floor sign as set forth in claim 6, including:

a first latch pin and a second latch pin disposed i n the first and second longitudinal slots, respectively; and

,

the locking arm being intersected by first and second notches formed on the first and second end portions, respectively, the first and second latch pins being disposed in the first and second notches, respectively, when the display panels and locking arm are disposed in the position of interlocking engagement.

8. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, the locking arm including a stop bar attached to one end of the locking arm and projecting transversely with respect to said end of the locking arm, the stop bar being engagable with one of the display panels for limiting rotation of the locking arm relative to the display panels when the display panels are in a retracted position.

9. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, the male and female hinge projections being axially movable in sliding engagement with each other to an operative position in which the handle portions are aligned with each other and the male and female hinge projections on one display panel are disposed in interlocking mating engagement with the male and female hinge projections of the other display panel, respectively.

10. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

each female hinge projection comprises a cylindrical collar including a sidewall portion defining a latch pocket and a radially stepped, inwardly projecting shoulder portion; and

,

each male hinge projection comprises at least one resilient finger portion and a radially projecting latching head, the resilient finger portion being radially deflectable in response to sliding engagement of the latching head against the shoulder portion as the latching head is inserted into the latch pocket during axial movement to the operative position.

11. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

each female hinge projection comprises a coupling collar having a latch pocket and a retainer ring having a bore opening into the latch pocket; and

,

each male hinge projection comprising first and second resilient head portions that are adapted for radial deflection in response to sliding engagement of the head portions against the retainer ring as the male coupling member is inserted through the retainer ring bore into the latch pocket.

12. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

each female hinge projection comprises a cylindrical collar including a cylindrical sidewall integrally formed with the handle portion, said cylindrical sidewall having an axial bore defining a latch pocket, and including a radially stepped retainer shoulder defining a deflection passage disposed between the handle portion and the latch pocket; and

,

each male hinge projection comprising an axially projecting latch integrally formed with the handle portion, the latch being radially deflectable relative to the retainer shoulder in response to sliding engagement of the latch against the retainer shoulder as the latch is inserted through the deflection passage into the latch pocket, and the latch being disposed in overlapping engagement with the retainer shoulder to oppose withdrawal of the latch out of the latch pocket when the male and female hinge projections are in the operative position.

13. A floor sign as set forth in claim 5, wherein each handle portion comprises a semi-cylindrical sidewall, and the male and female hinge projections are integrally formed with the semi-cylindrical sidewall.

14. A floor sign comprising first and second display panels pivotally connected to one another for movement between a closed position and an operative service position, at least one of said display panels having a slot extending along a portion thereof, and a movable locking arm for maintaining said panels in the operative service position, said locking arm having a stop to prevent withdrawal of said locking arm from said slot, at least a portion of said locking arm being received within said slot when said first and second display panels are moved into the closed position.

15. The floor sign of claim 14, wherein said locking arm is pivotally connected to the display panel having said slot.

16. The floor sign of claim 15, wherein said locking arm includes a notch by which it is pivotally connected to the display panel having said slot.

17. The floor sign of claim 15, wherein said display panels each include a slot extending along a portion thereof, and said locking arm is received within said slots when said first and second display panels are moved into the closed position.

18. The floor sign of claim 17, wherein said locking arm includes a first end portion extending through the first display panel slot and a second end portion extending through the second display panel slot when said display panels arc in the operative service position.

19. The floor sign of claim 17, wherein said locking arm includes a first end and a second end, said display panels each include a latch pin extending through at least a portion of said slot, and said locking arm includes a notch on each of said first and second ends for pivotally engaging said latch pins.

20. The floor sign of claim 19, further comprising a second locking arm.