GB2178583A - Advertising sign for use in cars - Google Patents

Abstract

An advertising sign is for use by car dealers, and designed to preferably seat on a car dashboard to be visible through the car windscreen or to seat on or near the rear window. The sign is illuminated by lights 16 powered by the car battery or a power pack and the circuit includes a timer to cause the lights to flash on and off at preset times to attract attention. As shown, the sign is made of a polystyrene box with an open top 12 covered by an acrylic sheet 17 to which messages 18 electrostatically adhere. It is also suggested that the messages may be on a strip wound by rollers and that the sign be connected to the brake circuit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Advertising sign for use in cars The present invention relates to advertising signs, particularly advertising signs for use in cars located in showrooms and yards of motor vehicle dealers.

The object of the present invention is to provide advertising signs which readily attract people's attention so that they observe the message on the sign.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an advertising comprising an open-topped plastic sign support containing one or a number of lights adapted to be powered by a car battery via an auxiliary outlet, a timer in the light circuit to control the delay before and the length of time and frequency with which the light or lights flash on or off, the delay period, length of flashing time and frequency of flashing each being able to be varied as desired, an acrylic sheet closing said open top and enclosing said light or lights, and a message sheet comprising an advertising message screen printed on an electrostatic material, said message sheet electrostatically adhering to said acrylic sheet whereby as the timer causes said light or lights to flash on, the message on said sheet is illuminated to attract attention thereto, the message sheet being readily interchanged with other message sheets, as required.

Preferably the sign is formed of polystyrene adapted to seat on the dashboard of a car with the open top adjacent the car windscreen, the sign extending the width of the car so that the message also extends across and is visible through the windscreen. Alternatively, the sign may be considerably smaller and be adapted to seat on or adjacent the back window of a car, the sign being connected to the brake light circuit and adapted to light up when the brakes are applied, thereby acting both as an advertisement and also an eye level warning to following motorists.

Preferably said timer provides a time delay of 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours prior to turn on, and may be activated via a reset button, indicators showing whether the circuit is activated or not. Once "on", the timer then provides flashing periods of 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours before switching off, the flash cycle preferably being a one second flash followed by a two second pause, the timer driving either incandescent bulbs or invertors to fluorescent tubes at 2X20 Watt outputs (at 12 to 15 volts).

A number of different message sheets may be provided as the sheet is readily removable to allow replacement by another message sheet.

But in order that the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an advertising sign according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of the control circuit; Figure 3 is a circuit diagram.

Referring to Fig. 1, a polystyrene sign support 11 has an open top 12, approximately 780mmX300mm, with sloping sides 13 extending down to a narrower base 14 whereon is located an invertor 15 and fluorescent tube 16, arranged in the circuit shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with a variable timer so that as the current flows through the timer, the light flashes on and off at the selected frequency for the selected time.

The open top 12 is covered by an acrylic sheet 17, which may be colourless or in any desired colour. The message sheet 18 is placed over the acrylic sheet 17, and its message illuminated by the flashing light 16 thereunder.

Strengthening ribs 19 may be provided on the sides 13 of the support 11, as may be a number of air vents 20 to avoid overheating within the support interior. Hand grips 21 may be embedded in the outer wall for ease of handling. Also located on the outer wall is a timer fuse and reset button and selector switches for the delay and flash periods.

The acrylic sheet provides an achorage for the message sheet 18 which is preferably screen printed on an electrostatic material, the acrylic sheet closing the cavity formed by the sign support and the electrostatic material providing ready adhesion of the message sheet to the sign support.

The flash timer circuit serves to control the delay time and "on" time periods, the flash timing and cycles, and flash and filament feeds to the invertor board.

Referring to the circuit diagram, it will be seen that the circuit is activated by pressing a push button switch 1 which connects a 5 volt supply from the main supply regulator 14 and thus activates the delay timer 4 and a l.e.d.

indicator.

The delay timer 4 is switch selectable, offering delays prior to flash cycle of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours. This time is set up via a long period timer using an XR 2240 í.C.. The timing sequence is set via a 100uF capacitor and a 2 Mr timing resistor, and decoded via a 7442 I.C. decoder 2, and a switch to enable the delay period selection.

After the delay period finishes, the state selector flip flop 8 is triggered via an inverter and gate l.C. 6 which initiates several actions.

First, the 555 timer 5 is pulled to earth, setting up a one second "on " two seconds "off" flash cycle to the output buffers.

Second, the selector buffers 11 undergo a change of state, which resets the main timer 4 via the reset trigger 10, selects the "on time" gate circuit 7 and re-selects the delay period gate circuit 6.

The main timer 4 is now reset to zero.

However, a re-trigger pulse is fed to the timer 4 via the flash timer output buffer circuit. This re initiates the timer 4 which now times the "on period", the duration of which is chosen via a decoder and selector switch 3.

At the conclusion of the "on time", a pulse passes through the inverter chain 9 which resets the flip-flop 8, turns of the flash cycle 5 and resets the main timer 4 to zero. The circuit now maintains a low energy state of readiness until manually triggered via push button 1 to repeat the process.

By appropriate selection of the delay time and the "on time", the sign can be arranged to flash at a particular time. As the lights are arranged to flash on and off for short periods, although they are connected to the car battery, they do not drain too much current from the battery. Thus it is possible to have the signs of the present invention installed on a number of cars within a caryard and organised so that as the sign in one car stops flashing its message, the sign in another car starts.

Thus there is a constantly changing light source with varying messages illuminated thereby, affording an attractive and eye catching advertisement.

When used on a back window of the car, the sign is approximatley 250mmX50mm, the single globe located at the narrow base of the sign support and being connected to the brake circuit. Thus when the brakes are applied, the sign is illuminated. Instead of a message, the sign may be simply a second red brake or warning light to caution a following car that the driver is stopping. It has been found that these eye level red lights assist in reducing accidents.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides an attractive, eye catching advertising sign, the message of which can be readily changed, and yet which is easily portable to be inserted into a car for display purposes and readily removed therefrom when it is desired to drive the car to demonstrate its capabilities and performance.

Rollers may be provided at either side of the sign support, said rollers being adapted to receive a strip of message so that by winding the strip from one roller to the other, preferably by hand, a number of messages are exposed in turn. Thus the individual messages are stored at a readily accessible location adjacent the sign.

Although the timer circuit shown has the car battery as its source of power for the sign, it will be apparent that it is possible to use A.C.

supply, possible from a power pack.

Claims (6)

1. An advertising sign for use in cars, said sign comprising an open-topped plastic sign support containing one or a number of lights adapted to be powered by a car battery via an auxiliary outlet, a timer in the light circuit to control the delay before and the length of time and frequency with which the light or lights flash on or off, the delay period, length of flashing time and frequency of flashing each being able to be varied as desired, an acrylic sheet closing said open top and enclosing said light or lights, and a message sheet comprising an advertising message screen printed on an electrostatic material, said message sheet electrostatically adhering to said acrylic sheet whereby as the timer causes said light or lights to flash on, the message on said sheet is illuminated to attract attention thereto, the message sheet being readily interchanged with other message sheets as required.

2. An advertising sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sign is formed of polystyrene adapted to seat on the dashboard of a car and to extend the width of the car so that the message also extends across and its visible through the windscreen.

3. An advertising sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary outlet is a car cigarette lighter socket, with a positive lead to a hot spot.

4. An advertising sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein said timer provides a timer delay period of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours prior to turn on, and is activated via a reset button.

5. An advertising sign as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sign is connected to the brake light circuit and is adapted to light up when the brakes are applied, the sign being adapted to seat on or adjacent the back window of the car and act as an eye level warning to following motorists.

6. An advertising sign for use in cars, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawing.