Image display system

• US 8,091,716 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bair Basics
• Original Assignee: Bair Basics
• Inventors: Bair, Helen
• Primary Examiner(s): PUROL, SARAH L
• Application Number:
  US11/219,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 211/205, 211/196, 211/13.1, 211/85.2, 405/30, D63/01
• US Class Current: 211/205
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/04 Stands with a central pillar, e.g. tree type A47F5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/10 Supports or holders for show-cards

Abstract

A structure is provided having a base and relatively vertical structural support element (such as a post, pole, platform, stairs, etc.) from which extend arms that support removable image holders. The removable image holders may contain images that can be readily replaced. The removable image holders can restrain the images in six directions (up, down, forward, backward, left and right), although restraint may be effected by only friction or gripping, rather than an immovable wall. The removable image holders may be relatively secured to the arms, although they may easily swing for ease of viewing. The structure may have ornamentation thereon that is indicative of a theme (birthday, wedding, graduation, holiday, memorial, season, sports event and the like).

Claims

1. A structure for displaying multiple images at the same time, at least some images consisting of an image on a 2-dimensional support, the structure comprising:

a vertical support element;

at least one pair of arms extending generally away from the vertical support structure;

at least one image holder supported on each arm of the at least one pair of arms;

the at least one image holder;

a) being removable from the vertical support structure;

b) the at least one image holder having two pairs of opposed edges forming a transparent face through which an image may be viewed and displaying an entire at least one image on a 2-dimensional support on at least one entire surface of the image holder such that the entire image-containing element and its 2-dimensional support is viewed through the entire surface of the image holder and is manually slideable from the image holder without tearing the image; and

c) secures against movement of the image in at least five directions consisting of vertical support, left support, right support, forward support and backward support.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the at least one image holder supports and displays from within that at least one image holder at least two entire images through entire opposed surfaces of the image holder such that the at least two images may be removed without tearing the images.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the at least one image holder supported by a top of an arm is removable from the arm that supports the at least one image holder by sliding the at least one image holder along the top of the arm.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the at least one image holder supported by a top of an arm is removable from the arm that supports the at least one image holder by sliding the at least one image holder along the top of the arm and the image holder has five solid surfaces consisting of a front panel, back panel, top panel, bottom panel and side panel.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein the image holder has an opening into which opening images are inserted and secured without a locking element being used to secure the images.

6. The structure of claim 3 wherein a releasable movement restricting element is on the arm to prevent the image holder from sliding off of the arm.

7. The structure of claim 3 wherein a releasable movement restricting element is on the arm to prevent the image holder from sliding off of the arm.

8. The structure of claim 3 wherein multiple image holders are present on at least one arm.

9. The structure of claim 4 wherein multiple image holders are present on at least one arm.

10. The structure of claim 3 having at least three pairs of arms supporting at least one image holder on each arm.

11. The structure of claim 4 having at least three pairs of arms supporting at least one image holder on each arm.

12. The structure of claim 5 having at least three pairs of arms supporting at least one image holder on each arm.

13. The structure of claim 6 having at least three pairs of arms supporting at least one image holder on each arm.

14. A structure for displaying multiple 2-dimensional images on a support at the same time comprising:

a vertical support element;

at least one pair of arms extending generally away from the vertical support structure;

at least one image holder supported on each arm of the at least one pair of arms;

the at least one image holder being;

removable from the vertical support structure;

the at least one image holder having two pairs of opposed edges forming a transparent face through which an image may be viewed and supporting and displaying an entire 2-dimensional image element and support on at least one entire surface of the image holder such that the entire 2-dimensional image element is viewed through an entire front surface between the two pairs of opposed surfaces and manual removal of the 2-dimensional image and support occurs without tearing of the 2-dimensional image and support;

the image holder comprising a sheet of transparent plastic having an extended lip above an image-holding area that slides across an arm and a lower surface that supports an image so that the supported image and support slides along the lower surface with vertical support from the lower surface.

15. The structure of claim 14 wherein there is no surface opposing the entire front surface on the image holder.

16. The structure of claim 14 wherein there is a back surface opposing the entire front surface on the image holder through which an entire second image may be viewed.

17. The structure of claim 14 wherein the image is a photograph and is a flat sheet of front and back of the photograph.

18. A structure for displaying multiple images at the same time comprising:

a flat base of a first material;

a vertical support element of the first material;

at least one pair of arms extending generally away from the vertical support structure;

at least one image holder of a second material that is transparent supported on each arm of the at least one pair of arms, the at least one image holder having two pairs of opposed edges forming a transparent face through which an image may be viewed;

the at least one image holder consisting of polymeric materials;

a) being removable from the vertical support structure;

b) the image being entirely between both opposed edges such that the at least one image holder displays an entire image and its support on at least one entire transparent surface of the image holder such that the image and support is viewed through the entire surface and is manually removeable from the holder without tearing the image; and

secures against movement of the image and the support by five separate surfaces in at least five directions consisting of vertical support, left support, right support, forward support and backward support.

19. The structure of claim 18 wherein the first material is wood.

20. The structure of claim 19 wherein the transparent material is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyacrylics, polyvinyl resins, silicone resins.