U.S. patent number 3,780,458 [Application Number 05/145,173] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-25 for portable visual-aid or display device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to SAID Jacoby, by said Gelak. Invention is credited to Richard Gelak, Joseph M. Jacoby.
United States Patent |
3,780,458 |
Jacoby , et al. |
December 25, 1973 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
PORTABLE VISUAL-AID OR DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
A rectangular portable carrying and display case of the attache
type, adapted to stand vertically, is provided with a fully
detachable front cover which is attached at the rear during use. At
the front of the case, with the cover removed, a picture frame
cover plate provides a viewing opening for observing visual-aid or
display material in the form of a strip of paper or the like made
up of individual elements or frame units connected end-to-end in a
reel which is passed across the framed opening between two spaced
rollers to display the information carried by each unit. Motor
drive means with a hand-held control switch, and including
overrunning clutches and belt drive for each roller, is connected
therewith in a manner to wind the reel from one roller to the other
in a forward direction past the viewing opening or to rewind it in
the opposite direction.
Inventors: |
Jacoby; Joseph M. (Riverton,
NJ), Gelak; Richard (Runnemede, NJ) |
Assignee: |
SAID Jacoby, by said Gelak
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22511923 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/145,173 |
Filed: |
May 20, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
40/471;
40/519 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F
5/02 (20130101); G09F 11/295 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G09F
5/00 (20060101); G09F 5/02 (20060101); G09F
11/00 (20060101); G09F 11/295 (20060101); G09f
011/29 () |
Field of
Search: |
;40/31,87,88
;242/67.3,67.4,188 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Michell; Robert W.
Assistant Examiner: Hum; Vance Y.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A portable visual-aid device comprising:
a light-weight rectangular carrying case adapted to stand upright
on a desk or conference table, said case including separate front
and back hardware elements, and a fully detachable front cover
adapted for attachment to the back of said case and having common
hardware elements for attaching it to said front and back hardware
elements in either position front or back interchangeably;
a picture frame plate in the front of the case, and exposed by
detachment of the front cover, providing a rectangular viewing
opening for observing visual-aid material therethrough; and means
for presenting successive frames of visual-aid material in the
viewing opening of said picture frame plate, said frame presenting
means including:
a pair of reel drive rollers in the case above and below said
viewing opening;
an elongated strip of sheet material comprising individual
rectangular units bearing visual-aid or display information and
connected in end-to-end relation in a reel extending from one
roller to the other across said viewing opening;
motor drive means having a hand-held control switch and including a
single reversible electric motor with an individual oriented fiber
type overrunning clutch and belt drive for each roller connected
therewith to alternately drive one roller or the other and to wind
the reel strip in a forward direction from one roller to the other
past the viewing opening and to rewind it in the opposite
direction;
motor control means for stopping the successive display units in
position within the viewing opening without operator control and
including corresponding successive stop elements along the reel
strip and a stop switch for the motor having a stop-sensing
operating element positioned to meet said stop elements and operate
the switch for each stop position;
and means connecting said hand-held switch to apply operating
current directly to the motor or indirectly thereto through the
stop switch.
2. A portable visual-aid device as recited in claim 3, wherein the
individual rectangular units of the reel strip are standard size
paper sheets having dimensions greater than the viewing opening and
joined together by self adhesive elements carried thereby along one
edge.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to visual-aid devices for improving
the effectiveness of talks and sales presentations, by visually
imparting supplemental information relating to the subject
thereof.
The present invention is especially adapted for portable visual-aid
devices for use with individuals and small groups, and is also
adapted for use where the visual-aid information is carried on an
elongated strip of sheet material for viewing as it is drawn from a
reel. With visual-aid or display devices of the reel type, the use
of an elongated strip of sheet material poses the problem of
imprinting or otherwise marking the visual-aid information thereon
over its length, and the problem of how to change any of the
elements of such information or the order of presentation thereof
when desired.
With visual-aid or display devices of the standard flip-chart type,
the individual charts or pages are readily imprinted or marked, and
the order of presentation may be changed at will. It thus has the
advantage of ease of preparation and flexibility in use. However,
the awkwardness and inconvenience of the standard flip chart, easel
and large pages, both in use and in storage, is a disadvantage not
shared by the reel type device, which is compact and convenient to
use.
It is a primary object of this invention, therefore, to provide an
improved visual-aid device in which the compactness and convenience
of the reel type is combined with the ease of preparation of the
visual-aid information and flexibility in use of the flip-chart
type, without the disadvantages of either.
Another object is to provide a new and improved portable visual-aid
device.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved
visual-aid device of the reel type which facilitates the scanning
of an elongated strip of sheet material and whereby visual-aid
information or data carried by said strip may be applied thereto
and arranged therein for viewing in any orderly and controlled
sequence.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved
visual-aid or display device of the reel type having an improved
motor drive means and control for the reel and the display of
visual-aid information thereby.
A further and important object of the invention is to provide an
improved visual-aid or display device of the type referred to,
which is portable and light-weight and is adapted for mounting in a
standard size carrying case of the attache type and for standing
firmly in use on a desk or conference table for talks and sales
presentations with individuals or small groups, thereby avoiding
the normal separation between a speaker at a flip chart, for
example, and an audience some distance away.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a portable
light-weight visual-aid or display device is provided and mounted
in a standard size carrying case, similar to a large attache case,
which is adapted to stand on a desk or conference table in use. The
carrying case is rectangular and is provided with a detachable
front cover which is attachable to the back of the case for
improved appearance and to provide a broad and stable base for
standing firmly upright. In the closed or the open position, on the
front or the back of the case, the detachable cover is attached by
means of four clasps which grip and close on aligned legs on the
top and ends of the case along the front and the back.
At the front of the case, with the cover removed, a picture frame
cover plate provides a rectangular viewing opening for observing
visual-aid or display material which is passed by the opening. The
visual-aid material or information is carried in successive display
areas on an elongated strip of paper or other suitable sheet
material in a reel which is passed between two spaced rollers
positioned above and below the opening and in rear of the cover
plate.
Motor drive means, under control of an external handheld switch or
the like, is connected with the rollers and includes a flexible
drive belt for each roller connected therewith through an
overrunning or slip clutch of the type having oriented clutch
facings for transmitting rotary motion in one direction while
slipping in the opposite direction. The motor drive means thus
operates in a manner to wind the reel from one roller to the other
in one direction past the viewing opening or to rewind it in the
opposite direction. The motor drive means may also include motor
control elements for positioning the successive display areas
within the frame viewing opening without operator control.
The elongated strip of visual-aid material for the reel is of
composite construction, comprising individual rectangular units or
elements of sheet material, which may be standard size paper
sheets, imprinted or otherwise marked to carry the desired
visual-aid material or information, and then joined together
end-to-end to provide the successive display areas in a desired
sequence for frame-by-frame presentation in the viewing opening.
Each sheet or unit is provided with a narrow strip of pressure or
moisture sensitive adhesive along the top or bottom edge for
attachment or joining together in any desired sequence for
different talks and sales presentations.
There are many advantages in the individual sheet or unit
construction in the preparation of visual-aid material of this
type, some of which are as follows:
1. The sheets or units are readily adapted for duplication in
quantity at one time and for temporary storage in stacks before
use.
2. The sheets or units may be collated in any order in composing a
sequence of visual-aid material into a complete reel for use in a
talk or presentation.
3. The sheets or units for a given talk or sales presentation may
be printed, collated, and joined in sufficient quantity to provide
as many reels as may be desired for any simultaneous or widespread
use of the same visual-aid material.
The invention will, however, be furtherstood from the following
description, when considered with reference to the accompanying
drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings;
FIG. 1 is a frontal view, in perspective, of a portable visual-aid
or display device embodying the invention and shown in the closed
or carrying condition;
FIG. 2 is a similar frontal view, in perspective, of the visual aid
or display device of FIG. 1 in the open or operative condition as
provided in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 is a further frontal view, in perspective, of the device of
FIGS. 1 and 2, and on an enlarged scale therefrom, with certain
portions removed or broken away to show the interior construction
and further features of the invention;
FIG. 4 is an exploded frontal view, in perspective, of certain
display elements of the device showing their operative relation and
construction in accordance with the invention;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are detail side and end views, respectively, of a
portion of FIG. 3, on an enlarged scale, showing certain driving
elements and the construction and arrangement thereof in accordance
with the invention; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the electrical
control and operating elements of the visual-aid and display device
of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 as arranged and provided in accordance with the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
like parts throughout, and referring more particularly to FIGS. 1
and 2, a light-weight rectangular carrying case 10 of the attache
type, adapted to stand upright as shown, is provided with a top
carrying handle 11 and a detachable front cover 12. It provides a
complete housing or casing for the device, and when closed, as in
FIG. 1, gives the appearance of a large attache case; in one form
it is approximately 5 feet .times. 141/2 feet .times. 20 feet in
size, and it is adapted for smaller dimensions as well. It is thus
easily portable and takes up a relatively small area of a desk or
table on which the device is used.
The front cover is designed to be completely removed or detached
from the front of the case to fully expose the viewing area and to
be reattached to the back of the case, as in FIG. 2, for stability
in standing and for improved appearance. In the closed or the open
position, on the front or the back of the case, the detachable
cover is arranged to be attached by means of releasable clasps 13,
which presently are four in number, preferably with two at the top
and one on each side, as indicated. The clasps grip and close on
aligned duplicate lugs 14 and 14" on the top and sides of the case
along the front and back edges, respectively, in pairs as shown.
This permits the cover to be switched from the front to the back of
the case using the same set of clasps. This construction greatly
simplifies setting up the device for use and closing it again for
travel. Furthermore, with the cover in either position, this
construction also provides a relatively wide and stable base for
the device when set down either in travel or in use. For added
stability and support when the case is set down with the detachable
cover in either position, the base of the cover is preferably
provided with two rubber or like footing buttons or feet 15, one at
each end, and the base of the case is likewise provided with four
more feet 16, two at each end.
A picture frame cover plate 17 of molded or like plastic material
fits into the front of the case to provide a rectangular viewing
opening 18 therein and marginally masks the interior and operating
elements, so that with the cover removed, as in FIG. 2, only the
visual presentation or display at the viewing opening 18 is
visible, as indicated by the legend, along with the necessary
electrical connection and control elements 19, 20 and 21, which
project through openings in the cover plate at one side of the
viewing opening. For opening up the case when desired, the cover
plate is detachably mounted in the case by suitable means such as
snap-on or push-pull button fastener elements 22 near each corner
thereof.
Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, the operative
elements of the visual-aid or display device are mounted in the
case 10 behind the framing cover plate 17 of which only the viewing
opening 18 is indicated by a dot-dash line, in order to better show
said elements and the interior of the case. These elements include
an electric drive motor 25 having a shaft 26, a pair of reel spools
or rollers 27 and 28 for the visual-aid material, and a roller
drive mechanism 29 connecting the motor with the rollers. The
latter comprises two drive shafts 30, one for each of the rollers,
located frontally of the case and at one side thereof near the top
and the bottom in position to drive the rollers, located above and
below the opening 18, and in substantially parallel relation as
shown in FIG. 4.
Each shaft is provided with a pulley 31 (FIGS. 3 and 5) at one end
and a coupling or drive plate 32 for the roller at the other end,
together with an intermediate overrunning or slip clutch 33
therebetween. In the present example, these are oriented to drive
in the direction of rotation indicated by the arrows and to slip in
the opposite direction of rotation. The motor, which is of the
reversible type, as located with the motor shaft 26 substantially
midway between the two roller drive shafts 30 and is provided with
a drive pulley 34 connected with the roller shaft pulleys 31 by two
flexible web or rubber belts 35.
The operative elements of the device as above described may be
mounted directly in the case or be carried on a frame or chassis 37
which is adapted for mounting in and attachment to the interior of
the carrying case, as shown in FIG. 3. The frame or chassis
includes two widely spaced parallel end plates 38 and 39 at either
side of the viewing opening 18, between which the rollers 27 and 28
are mounted, and a third end plate 40 outside of and closely
adjacent to the end plate 39 so that they support the two roller
drive shafts between them, one near the top and one near the
bottom, in teflon or like plug type bearings 41 provided therefor
in the plates. The motor 25 is mounted adjacent to the drive
mechanism 29, being attached to the inside of the end plate 39 with
the shaft extending therethrough and through the end plate 40 to
the pulley 34 in alignment with the pulleys 31 for the roller drive
shafts.
Also carried by the frame or chassis remote from the drive
mechanism, on the opposite end plate 38 and in axial alignment with
each of the roller drive shafts 30, is a spring pressed, circular
seat or holding plate 42 and centering pin 43 for each spool or
roller. As shown in FIG. 4, the rollers are each of the same
tubular construction with flanged ends 44 in which are provided
center apertures or holes 45 for the centering pins 43 at one end
and, at the opposite end, for the protruding drive shaft ends as
centering pins in the coupling or drive shaft plates 32.
The rollers are thus mounted on the centering elements or pins and
resiliently held against the coupling or drive plates 32 by the
spring-pressed holding plates or seats 42. To provide a positive
driving connection between each roller and the drive plate
therefor, the flanged ends 44 of the rollers are further provided
with a circular array of spaced apertures 46 surrounding the
centering aperture 45 at each end for receiving a drive pin 47
projects from the face of the drive plate 32. By this arrangement,
with the framing cover plate 17 detached, the rollers may readily
be inserted in or removed from the device as required to change the
visual-aid material in preparing for different talks or
presentations.
The visual-aid material indicated by the legends in FIG. 4 is
carried on an elongated strip of paper or like sheet material 49
for the reel which is attached at each end of the rollers above and
below the viewing opening 18, and is drawn or reeled from one to
the other across the opening in a flat plane over a fixed backing
plate 50 directly in rear of and close to the viewing opening 18.
The backing plate is attached to the two chassis plates 38 and 39,
and is a rectangular flat sheet of plastic or like material with
upper and lower edges 51 curved inwardly toward the rollers to
direct the reel strip smoothly onto and off the plates in either
direction while maintaining it flat directly behind the viewing
opening 18.
The backing plate 50 is detachably mounted (for ready removal, for
servicing the interior elements of the device) on integral narrow
brackets 52 on the forward edges of the end plates 38 and 39 by
snap-on fasteners 53. Narrow bracket elements 54 inside the case on
each side have holes for receiving the button fasteners 22 therein
as indicated.
Also attached to and carried by the chassis are the electrical
connection and control elements 19, 20 and 21 which are located on
the opposite side of the chassis from the motor drive elements and
mounted on a common supporting panel 55 attached to the outside
frontal edge of the end plate 38. In this way the elements 19, 20
and 21 are grouped at one side of the viewing opening in rear of
the cover plate and project therethrough, as shown in FIG. 2, for
connection and operation with the front cover removed. The element
19 is a three-terminal plug for an input power supply cord
connection, the element 20 is a three-terminal receptacle or jack
for a remote control connection cord, and the element 21 is a
push-button type reversing switch for the motor, all as will be
shown and described hereinafter.
An additional control element is provided as part of a sensing
means for automatically stopping the motor and the reel movement to
position the visual displays on the reel strip 49 in registration
with the viewing opening 18, which, in the present example, is a
motor control switch 56 located on the end plate 39 adjacent to the
backing plate 50 and reel strip as it moves thereover, and is
provided with a movable operating arm 57 having a stop sensing
element or button 58 at the outer end which extends through the
backing plate into contact with the reel strip 49 to sense and be
operated by cooperating stop openings 59 disposed lengthwise along
the edge, as will further be described hereinafter.
Referring more particularly to FIG. 4, the desired display material
or information for one or more talks or sales presentations on the
same or different subjects may be written, printed, marked, or
otherwise applied to individual rectangular units 60 of sheet
material in any desired quantity, and joined together in end-to-end
relation in any desired sequence to make up successive display
areas in any number of continuous reel strips, such as 49, as may
be desired. This display reel system is thus very flexible and
convenient in preparation and use, and permits as many as
twenty-five units to be provided in a reel strip, which is more
than is generally required for many talks and presentations.
Thus the elongated strip of visual-aid or display material is of
composite construction, preferably comprising regularly available
units such as standard size, 81/2 feet .times. 11 feet paper
sheets, for example, which are easily handled and imprinted or
otherwise marked in quantity and collated for any desired sequence
in different reels. In any case, the dimension of each unit or
sheet is greater than the viewing opening 18 in the cover plate, in
order to fill the opening fully. In case a larger display and
viewing opening is required, the dimensions of the units or sheets
may be correspondingly larger within the limits of the size of the
carrying case. Each unit or sheet has a narrow strip 61 of pressure
or moisture sensitive adhesive along one edge at the top or the
bottom for overlapping and joining together of the several units or
sheets of a sequence into the continuous reel strip 49, the units
or sheets being in end-to-end relation as indicated by the dotted
lines. With this construction, the stopping or positioning elements
59 for each reel strip may preferably be provided along the latter
at the junctions of the units or sheets, as shown, where the
adhesive strips provide increased thickness and strength for the
strip.
The reel strip is made up, preferably, to be reeled from the lower
roller 27 to the upper roller 28 so that the successive displays or
display areas in the sequence move up into the viewing opening 18.
However, if desired, the units of the reel may be arranged in the
opposite order for sequential display in the opposite direction of
movement. In any case, the framing cover plate 17 focuses the
attention on the exposed portion of the reel strip which is the
visual presentation or display.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 along with FIG. 3, further consideration
may be given to the construction and operation of the clutches 33.
These elements permit the rollers 27 and 28 to be driven in
opposite directions by the single reversible motor 25, and for this
purpose are preferably of the oriented fiber type, as this type is
of small size, is easily constructed at low cost, and is effective
and long lasting in use. A commercially available clutch of this
type which has been found to be satisfactory for the present use is
the 3M Fibre-Tran overrunning clutch. The clutches 33 are of this
type and are of like construction throughout, but are oriented to
drive in opposite directions, as indicated in FIG. 3. One of these
clutches, as shown in FIG. 5, may be considered to be the upper
clutch element oriented for driving the upper roller in the
foreward direction.
The clutch 33 is located between the end plates 39 and 40 and the
shaft bearings 41 therein, and comprises two circular parts: an
oriented fiber face or disc 63 and a fine metal screen face or disc
64 in contacting engagement. Each face or disc is adhesive backed
for attachment to circular backing plates 65 connected with the
drive pulley 31 and the roller drive plate 32 through the shaft on
each side. As indicated in FIG. 5, the fibers on the face or disc
63 are oriented to permit slippage in one direction and to catch on
the screen face or disc 64 and drive in the opposite direction. As
in the present example, the driver element is generally connected
with the screen face or disc while the driven element is connected
with the oriented fiber face or disc.
With the fibers in the face or disc 64 oriented as indicated in
FIG. 5, it will be seen that the clutch 33 drives the upper roller
28 when the motor rotates in the forward direction indicated in
FIG. 3, and slips when the motor is reversed. The fibers of the
clutch for the lower roller 27 are oriented in the opposite
direction for driving when the motor is reversed. The oriented
fiber clutch faces or discs are thus mounted in opposition so that,
when the upper clutch engages to drive the reel in the forward
direction, the lower clutch slips, while for rewind of the reel in
the opposite direction, the lower clutch engages to drive and the
upper clutch slips. The use of two oriented fiber type overrunning
or slip clutches, in conjunction with a single reversible motor,
thus greatly simplifies the construction and operation of the
device.
Referring now to the circuit diagram of FIG. 7, wherein the case 10
is indicated in dotted lines, the driving motor 25 is reversible
and is provided with a forward winding 66 and a reversing winding
67, both connected with a common terminal 68 and having respective
individual terminals 69 and 70. The motor is preferably of the
low-speed, high-torque, silent type, AC operable and of relatively
small size to fit into the limited space provided by the carrying
case.
The three-terminal power plug 19 is connected through one lead 71
with the common motor terminal 68 and through the other lead 72
with one terminal 73 of the remote control receptacle 20 and the
motor reversing terminal 70 through the push-button switch 21. The
third lead 74 from the plug 19 is the ground lead connected to
chassis ground 75. A power supply cord 76 of suitable length is
provided for the device and, when the device is set up for use as
in FIG. 2, the cord is attached to the power plug 19 by a push-on
receptacle 77 at one end and at the other end is provided with an
input plug 78 for an electrical wall outlet.
The two remaining terminals 79 and 80 of the remote control
receptacle or jack 20 are both connected with the motor forward
terminal 69, the first directly through a connection lead 81 and
the second indirectly through a connection lead 82 and the stop
switch 56 which is biased to be normally open. When the reel strip
49 is moved in changing the displays, it depressed the element or
button 58 on the movable operating arm 57 and holds the switch
closed, as indicated in FIG. 7. The switch is positioned so that
the stop sensing element or button meets a stop element 59 on the
reel strip and drops into the opening to release the arm and open
the switch, as indicated in dotted lines, each time a display area
on the reel strip is in registration with the viewing opening.
A hand-held switch 84, on the end of a remote control connection
cord 85, is provided for activating the motor and controlling the
reel strip movement. The switch is of the two-way type having an
intermediate neutral or "off" position from which it is moved in
either of two directions, as indicated, by a thumb piece 86
connected with a contact element 87 which is movable thereby into
engagement with one or the other of two fixed contacts 88 and 89.
The opposite end of the connection cord 85 is provided with a
connection plug 90 adapted to plug into the remote control
receptable or jack 20, as indicated, and to complete circuit
connections between the fixed switch contacts 88 and 89 and the
receptacle terminals 79 and 80 respectively, and between the
movable switch contact element 87 and the receptacle terminal 73.
The movable contact element is thus connected with the lead 72
while both fixed contacts are connected with the motor forward
terminal 69, the contact 88 being connected directly and the
contact 89 being connected indirectly through the stop switch
56.
Both motor windings are connected through the common terminal 68
with the lead 71 so that, with the other lead 72 connected with the
movable contact element 87, closing of the hand control switch 84
in either direction will energize the motor in the foward direction
if the stop switch 56 is closed. When closed to the contact 88, the
motor will operate to move the reel strip in the foward direction
continuously until it is released and opens. For rewinding the reel
strip, the push-button reversing switch 21 is closed to energize
the reversing winding 67 of the motor and is released when the
operation is completed, to stop the motor.
For automatic stopping by the stop sensing means, the control
switch 84 is first momentarily closed to the contact 88 to start
the motor and move the reel strip off a stop position, and thus
permit the stop switch to be closed thereby. The control switch may
then be shifted to the closed position in the opposite direction to
energize the forward winding 66 through the contact 89 and the stop
switch which opens and stops the motor and the reel strip movement
when the switch stop sensing element meets the next stop element on
the reel strip, as described hereinbefore. Thus the successive
displays on the reel strip may be positioned in registration with
the viewing opening without assistance of the operator so that full
attention may be given to the talk or presentation relating
thereto.
From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the portable
visual-aid or display device of the present invention is of
improved and compact construction providing flexibility and
convenience in the preparation and use of visual-aid or display
material for talks and sales presentations with individuals and
small groups, and facilitates the scanning and control of such
material in use.
* * * * *