US 2006/0185205 A1Published application

Billboard system and method

OwnerJohn Blackinventor

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Abstract

A billboard sign includes abutting rectangular tubular sections forming a frame using a rectangular tube extending across abutting ends within the tubular sections. The rectangular tube is biased against adjacent inside wall surfaces of the tubular sections for securing and aligning the tubular sections to each other. Risers extend between opposing horizontal frame sections and define a flat riser plane. Stringers are attached to support posts and define a vertically oriented plane. With risers defining the flat riser plane, the stringers horizontally attached to support posts and aligned for defining a vertically oriented plane, the flat riser plane can be aligned with the vertically oriented plane for securing the frame to the support posts in a flat plane of the frame vertically oriented as desired, regardless of the orientation of the support posts. A flexible substrate may be extended across a periphery of the frame with a message carrying surface.

Claims58

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a frame having a plurality of opposing horizontal and vertical frame sections defining a periphery thereof, a front side of the frame defining a flat plane;
at least two riser members extending generally vertically between the opposing horizontal frame sections, the at least two riser members having surfaces defining a flat riser member plane;
a plurality of spaced, generally vertically arranged support posts extending downwardly into a supporting surface and upwardly along a back side of the frame;
at least two stringer members carried generally horizontally by the plurality of support posts, wherein the at least two stringer members are aligned for defining a vertically oriented plane;
a clip carried by each of the at least two riser members and attaching the at least two riser members to the at least two stringer members, wherein the riser member plane is aligned with the vertically oriented plane, thus securing the frame to the plurality of spaced, generally vertically arranged support posts with the flat plane being vertically oriented;
a flexible substrate extending across a periphery of the frame, wherein a message carrying surface of the flexible substrate faces outwardly from the front side of the frame, and wherein a periphery of the flexible substrate extends across the periphery of the frame to the backside thereof;
and
a plurality of tensioning elements carried about the periphery of the frame and operable with the periphery of the flexible substrate for a stressing thereof in generally horizontal and vertical directions, thus providing a generally smooth planar message carrying surface defined by the frame.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.