Display apparatus

• US 6,192,609 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alvern ASA
• Original Assignee: Alvern-Norway
• Inventors: Alvern, Stein
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US09/098,464
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 402/99, 406/61, 406/11, 402/990.1, 222/23, 222/29, 141/392, 141/98, 141/206
• US Class Current: 40/299.01
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/06 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/425 including components powered by electricity or light
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/426 including means for displaying information, e.g. for advertising B67D7/425 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/0083 on petrol dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/08 Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/16 by clamps

Abstract

Display apparatus is removably attachable to the filler gun of a fuel pump, the filler gun including in series connection a gun nozzle having a forward discharge end and a rear end, a gun head having both a forward end portion which connects with the rear end of the gun nozzle and a rearward handle portion whose forward end connects to the rear of the gun nozzle and a rearward handle portion whose forward end connects to the rear end of said gun head. The display apparatus comprises a carrying body adapted to be fitted onto the fillers gun and to extend from approximately a first junction between the rear end of the gun nozzle and the forward end of the gun head to approximately a second junction between the rear end of the gun head and the forward end of the handle, the carrying body having an upper surface defining an elongate display surface for messages, and comprising a first member and a second member and structure for releasably interconnecting the first and second members, the first and second members being shaped to generally conform, when so interconnected, to enclose the sides, bottom, and upper portions of the gun head, and structure pivotally connected to the upper surface of the carrying body for supporting a replaceable message card placed on the display surface.

Claims

1. Display apparatus attachable to a fluid pump filler gun for displaying a replaceable graphic message in the form of a display card which is viewable by the user of the filler fun, comprising:

a supporting surface for the display card having a substantially continuous peripheral rim extending substantially at a right angle to the supporting surface and having on its outwardly facing surface at least one elongate protruding rib,

a protective cover for said supporting surface defining a central portion which permits viewing of the display card on said supporting surface, said cover having a peripheral rim portion for engaging said peripheral rim on said supporting surface to thereby secure said cover onto said supporting surface,

said peripheral rim on substantially opposite sides of said supporting surface being interrupted to thereby enable the rim on said cover to move past the rim on said supporting surface thereby facilitating removal and replacement of said resilient cover with respect to said supporting surface.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 in which said central portion of said protective cover is an open portion.

3. Display apparatus removably attachable to a, fluid pump filler gun, said filler gun including a gun nozzle, a gun head covered by a protective boot, said gun head having internally located valve means with valve outlet means communicating with said nozzle and valve inlet means communicating with fluid supply means extending through a handle of the gun, said handle having lever means operatively connected to said valve means, said apparatus supporting on its upper surface means for displaying a graphic message viewable by a gun user, comprising:

a carrying body for said graphic message, said body while attached to the filler gun, without said protective boot having been removed, being adapted to fit over the filler gun, said carrying body including a display surface for said message,

said carrying body comprising a lower member, and an upper member releasably engageable with said lower member, said lower member having two side panels and means for interconnecting the side panels, said lower member, when the two side panels are brought to lie against said gun head and its protective boot substantially fitting around a lower part of the gun head, and said side panels having at a top region thereof first interlocking means, said upper member being formed as cap means to fit over an upper part of the gun head and its protective boot, and having second interlocking means for releasably engaging said first interlocking means on said lower member,

and a top member releasably engageable with said upper member, space being provided between an upper face of said upper member and a portion of said top member for locating a replaceable message card when said top member and said upper member engage,

wherein said interconnecting means is a bottom element attached to said panels by connecting means, and wherein said panels, said bottom element and said first interlocking means of said lower member are formed as an integrally made structure.

4. Display apparatus removably attachable to a fluid pump filler gun, said filler gun including a fuel gun nozzle, a gun head having internally located valve means with valve outlet means communicating with said nozzle and valve inlet means communicating with fluid supply means extending through a handle of the gun, said handle having lever means operatively connected to said valve means, said apparatus supporting on its upper surface means for displaying a graphic message viewable by a gun user, comprising:

a carrying body for said graphic message, said body while attached to the filler gun being adapted to fit over the filler gun to extend from approximately the junction of the gun nozzle with the gun head to approximately the junction of the gun head with a forward end of the handle, said carrying body including a display surface for said message, said display surface, when said carrying body is attached to the filler gun, extending longitudinally along the filler gun from approximately the junction of the gun head with the nozzle to approximately the junction of the gun head with the forward end of the handle of the gun,

said carrying body comprising a lower member, and an upper member releasably engageable with said lower member,

said lower member having two side panels and means for interconnecting the side panels, said lower member, when the two side panels are brought to lie against said gun head substantially fitting around a lower part of the gun head, and said side panels having at a top region thereof first interlocking means, and

said upper member being formed as cap-like means to fit over an upper part of the gun head, and having second interlocking means for releasably engaging said first interlocking means on said lower member, said upper member having an upper surface for locating a replaceable message card, said upper surface having along at least a portion of its peripheral edge an upwardly extending rim, and means protruding up from said top surface for releasably engaging holes in said message card,

wherein said interconnecting means is a bottom element attached to said panels by connecting means, and wherein said panels, said bottom element and said first interlocking means of said lower member are formed as an integrally made structure.

5. Display apparatus removably attachable to a fluid pump filler gun, said filler gun including a gun nozzle, a gun head covered by a protective boot, said gun head having internally located valve means with valve outlet means communicating with said nozzle and valve inlet means communicating with fluid supply means extending through a handle of the gun, said handle having lever means operatively connected to said valve means, said apparatus supporting on its upper surface means for displaying a graphic message readily viewable by a gun user, comprising:

a carrying body for said graphic message, said body while attached to the filler gun, without said protective boot having been removed, being adapted to fit over the filler gun to extend from approximately the junction of the gun nozzle with the gun head to approximately the junction of the gun head with a forward end of the handle, said carrying body including a display surface for said message, said display surface, when said carrying body is attached to the filler gun, extending longitudinally along the filler gun from approximately the junction of the gun head with the nozzle to approximately the junction of the gun head with the forward end of the handle of the gun,

said carrying body comprising a lower member, and an upper member releasably engageable with said lower member,

said lower member having two side panels and means for interconnecting the side panels, said lower member, when the two side panels are brought to lie against said gun head and its protective boot substantially fitting around a lower part of the gun head, and said side panels having at a top region thereof first interlocking means, and

said upper member being formed as a cap-like means to fit over an upper part or the gun head, and having second interlocking means for releasably engaging said first interlocking means on said lower member, said upper member having an upper surface for locating a replaceable message card, said upper surface having along at least a portion of its peripheral edge an upwardly extending rim, and means protruding up from said upper surface for releasably engaging holes in said message card,

wherein said interconnecting means is a bottom element attached to said panels by connecting means, and wherein said panels, said bottom element and said first interlocking means of said lower member are formed as an integrally made structure.