Structure for supporting sign board

• US 6,971,199 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanyang Frame Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hanyang Frame Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Yong Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US11/002,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 406/071.4, 406/070.1, 406/071.2, 406/111.2, 406/12, 248/218.4, 248/230.4, 248/223.41, 248/225.11, 248/231.51, 248/218.14
• US Class Current: 40/607.12
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/22 for rotatably or swingably mounting, e.g. for boards adapted to be rotated by the wind

Abstract

A structure for supporting a sign board is disclosed. The structure includes: a post clamp having a pair of arched clamping bands which are hingedly coupled and joined to each other by a fastening element, at least one clamping band having a pillar; a hanger having a socket pipe joined to the pillar of the post clamp, a support bar inserted into the socket pipe and joined by a fastening element, the support bar having an axial coupling groove; at least one connector having a first coupling plate with a coupling bulge adapted to be fitted into the coupling groove of the support bar and with a first arched hinge holder, and a second coupling plate coupled to the first coupling plate having a second arched hinge holder; and a sign board having a coupling bulge and a guide slot through which the hinge holders of the connector pass.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting a sign board, comprising:

a post clamp including at least a first arched clamping band and second arched clamping band that are hingedly coupled to each other at their adjacent end portions and joined to each other by at least one fastening element at their free ends to be assembled around a periphery of a post, at least one of said first arched clamping band and said second arched clamping band being provided at its outer surface with a pillar protruding therefrom that includes a groove on a front surface thereof; and

a connecting holder with a coupling bulge adapted to be fitted into the groove of the pillar and a channel for receiving the sign board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first arched clamping band and the second arched clamping band include a hinge groove and a hinge bulge at a first end and a flange at a second end such that the hinge grooves and the hinge bulges may be operably interconnected to each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the post clamp further includes at least one auxiliary clamping band coupled between the first clamping band and the second clamping band, the auxiliary clamping band being provided at opposite ends thereof with a hinge groove and a hinge bulge corresponding to each other, and having a circumference smaller than that of any of the first clamping band and the second clamping band, whereby the auxiliary clamping band is selectively coupled between the first and the second clamping bands according to the size of the post.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and the second arched clamping bands are provided adjacent to the hinge groove, with at least one retaining screw that is embedded into the hinge groove to prevent the hinge bulge from being separated from the hinge groove.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one fastening element is a nut and bolt.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post clamp and the connecting holder are made of nonferrous metal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the nonferrous metal is aluminum.

8. An apparatus for supporting a sign board, comprising:

a post clamp including at least a first arched clamping band and second arched clamping band each hingedly interconnected to at least one third arched clamping band, the first and second arched clamping bands joined to each other by a fastening element at their free ends to be assembled around a periphery of a post, the at least third arched clamping band being provided at its outer surface with a pillar protruding therefrom that includes a groove on a front surface thereof; and

a connecting holder with a coupling bulge adapted to be fitted into the groove of the pillar and a channel for receiving the sign board.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first arched clamping band and the second arched clamping band include a hinge groove and a hinge bulge at a first end and a flange at a second end such that the hinge grooves and the hinge bulges may be joined to a hinge bulge or hinge groove on the ends of the at least one third arched clamping band.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the post clamp further includes at least one auxiliary clamping band coupled between the first arched clamping band and the at least one third arched clamping band, said at least one auxiliary clamping band is provided at its opposite ends with a hinge groove and a hinge bulge corresponding to each other and has a circumference smaller than that of any of the first, second, and at least one third arched clamping bands, whereby the at least one auxiliary clamping band is selectively coupled to the post clamp according to a size of the post.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one auxiliary clamping band is provided at both ends adjacent to the hinge groove, with at least one retaining screw that is embedded into the hinge groove to prevent the adjoining hinge bulge from being separated from the hinge groove.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a fourth claiming band, similar to the at least one third clamping band, and at least one auxiliary clamping band coupled between the at least one third clamping band and the fourth clamping band, said at least one auxiliary clamping band is provided at its opposite ends with a hinge groove and a hinge bulge corresponding to each other and has a circumference smaller than that of any of the first, second, at least one third and fourth arched clamping bands, whereby the at least one auxiliary clamping band is selectively coupled to the post clamp according to a size of the post.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the post clamp further includes at least one auxiliary clamping band coupled between the at least one third arched clamping band and the second arched clamping band, said at least one auxiliary clamping band is provided at its opposite ends with a hinge groove and a hinge bulge corresponding to each other and has a circumference smaller than that of any of the first, second, and at least one third arched clamping bands, whereby the at least one auxiliary clamping band is selectively coupled to the post clamp according to a size of the post.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the post clamp and the connecting holder are made of nonferrous metal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the nonferrous metal is aluminum.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first arched clamping band and the second arched clamping band is provided at its outer surface with a pillar protruding therefrom that includes a groove on a front surface thereof.