US 2017/0025045 A1 · PLACARD HOLDER

Abstract

A placard holder has a clamp member with an enlarged head and an elongated stem. The head defines a narrow slot such that a card containing visually perceptible or machine readable information can be mounted to the head by a friction fit of an edge of the card inserted into the slot. The clamp member attaches to a supporting article such as a display stand by extending the stein through a hole of a thin wall of the support and placing a lock washer over the stem opposite the head. The lock washer is forced along the stem end to compress the wall between it and the head. Compression is maintained by prongs of the lock washer that engage radially protruding teeth disposed along the elongated stem. Paper or plastic placards such as business cards, credit cards, place cards, gift cards can be placed in the placard holder for display.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A placard holder comprising a clamp member and a lock washer

in which the clamp member comprises a body comprising (i) an enlarged head having a front side defining a card slot and back side having a flat back face, and (ii) an elongated stem extending away from the back side of the head, and
in which the lock washer comprises (a) a hollow cylinder having a base at one end of the cylinder, the base defining a land surface and in which the cylinder has a lumen extending along an axis from the base, and (b) a plurality of prongs at the end of the hollow cylinder opposite the base, the prongs forming a truncated conical configuration that tapers to smaller diameter with axial distance from the base, and in which the lock washer is adapted to mate with the clamp member by insertion of the stem into the lumen.

A method of displaying a placard comprising the steps of

(I) providing a clamp member comprising a body comprising (i) an enlarged head having a front side defining a card slot and back side having a flat back face, and (ii) an elongated stem extending away from the back side of the head,
(II) providing a lock washer comprising (a) a hollow cylinder having a base at one end of the cylinder, the base defining a land surface and in which the cylinder has a lumen extending along an axis from the base, and (b) a plurality of prongs at the end of the hollow cylinder opposite the base, the prongs forming a truncated conical configuration that tapers to smaller diameter with axial distance from the base,
(III) providing a support article having a wall defining opposite sides and a hole passing through the wall,
(IV) inserting the clamp member into the hole such that the head is on one side of the wall and the stem protrudes through the hole to the other side of the wall,
(V) inserting the stem into the lumen with the base of the hollow cylinder oriented toward the back face of the head, thereby mounting the lock washer on the clamp member on the other side of the wall, and
(VI) moving the lockwasher along the axis of the clamp member toward the head and compressing the wall between the back face of the head and the base of the lock washer effectively to affix the clamp member and lock washer relative to the wall.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Placard holder

Life of this patent

Placard holder

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17