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US 6,655,062 B1Granted
Modular sign system
OwnerDonald T. Meekerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sign system according to the invention includes an upper rail and a lower rail interconnecting two vertical uprights. The upper rail and the lower rail comprise confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels, each channel has a center section and two side sections on either side of the center section. A core plate having upper and lower edges is held between the upper rail and lower rail in the center section of the channels. The upper and lower edges are held in the center section of the channels by stops. Sign panels including the information to be displayed by the sign system are insertable into the side sections of the channels on one or both sides of the core plate.
Claims40
A signage system, comprising:
- two laterally spaced vertical supports, each of said vertical supports having an upper end and a lower end and a constant cross-sectional shape between said upper end and said lower end;
- an upper rail having first and second ends and an upper rail length between said first and second ends;
- a lower rail having first and second ends and a lower rail length between said first a second ends, said upper rail and said lower rail each having confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels running substantially between said first and second ends thereof, each of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels having a longitudinal central portion and longitudinal side portions on either side of said longitudinal central portions;
- said first ends of said upper and lower rails fixedly connected to one of said two vertical supports and said second ends of said upper and lower rails fixedly connected to the other of said two vertical supports such that said upper and lower rails are connected to said two vertical supports between said upper and lower ends of said two vertical supports;
- a substantially planar core piece having a first planar side and a second planar side and having upper and lower edges and side edges, said upper and lower edges releasably received in said central portions of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels and said planar core piece having a core width between said side edges, wherein said core width, said upper rail length and said lower rail length are substantially equal;
- said longitudinal channels having stops between said longitudinal central portion and said longitudinal side portions so that said upper and lower edges of said core are retained in said central portions of said longitudinal channels;
- and
- a substantially rigid signal panel having an upper edge and a lower edge being receivable in said side portions of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels on one of said first planar side and said second planar side of said core piece, said signage system thereby accommodating sign panels on said first planar side, said second planar side, and both of said first and second planar sides of said core piece.
5 more elements
A signage system, comprising:
- two laterally spaced vertical supports;
- an upper rail having first and second ends;
- a lower rail having first and second ends, said upper rail and said lower rail each having confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels running substantially between said first and second ends thereof, each of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels having a longitudinal central portion and longitudinal side portions on either side of said longitudinal central portions;
- said first ends of said upper and lower rails fixedly connected to one of said two vertical supports and said second ends of said upper and lower rails fixedly connected to the other of said two vertical supports such that said upper and lower rails are connected to said two vertical supports by a fixed connection;
- a substantially planar core piece having a first planar side and a second planar side and having upper and lower edges releasably received in said central portions of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels, wherein said upper and lower edges of said core piece are held in said longitudinal channels by the fixed connection of said upper and lower rails to said vertical supports;
- said longitudinial channels having stops between said longitudinal central portion and said longitudinal side portions so that said upper and lower edges of said core are retained in said central portions of said longitudinal channels;
- a retaining bracket fixedly connectable to said first planar side of said core, said retaining bracket forming channels with said core confrontingly opposed to said side portions of said longitudinal channels of said upper rail and said lower rail on said first planar side of said core;
- and
- an upper sign panel and a lower sign panel, wherein said upper sign panel is held in said side portion of said upper rail and an upper channel of said retaining bracket and said lower sign panel is held in said side portion of said lower rail and a lower channel of said retaining bracket.
6 more elements
A signage system, comprising:
- two laterally spaced vertical supports;
- an upper rail having first and second ends;
- a lower rail having first and second ends, said upper rail and said lower rail each having confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels running substantially between said first and second ends thereof, each of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels having a longitudinal central portion and longitudinal side portions;
- said upper and lower rails being mounted between said two vertical supports;
- a substantially planar core piece having a first planar side and a second planar side and having upper and lower edges being mounted between said upper and lower rails in said central portions of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels;
- said longitudinal channels having stops between said central portion and said side portions so that said upper and lower edges of said core are retained in said central portions of said longitudinal channels;
- a sign panel having an upper edge and a lower edge being receivable in said side portions of said longitudinal channels on one of said first planar side and said second planar side of said core piece, said signage system thereby accommodating signage on said first planar side, said second planar side, and both of said fist and second planar sides of said core piece;
- and
- a center rail being mounted between said two vertical supports between said upper rail and said lower rail and having upper and lower channels confrontingly opposed to said longitudinal channels of said upper and lower rails, each said upper and lower channels having a center portion and side portions;
- said core piece comprising a first core having an upper edge and a lower edge held in said longitudinal channel of said upper rail and said upper channel of said center rail;
- and
- said core piece comprising a second core having an upper edge held in said lower channel of said center rail and a lower edge held in said longitudinal channel of said lower rail.
9 more elements
A signage system, comprising:
- two laterally spaced vertical supports;
- an upper rail having first and second ends;
- a lower rail having first and second ends, said upper rail and said lower rail each having confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels running substantially between said first and second ends thereof, each of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels having a longitudinal central portion and longitudinal side portions;
- said upper and lower rails being mounted between said two vertical supports;
- a substantially planar core piece having a first planar side and a second planar side and having upper and lower edges being mounted between said upper and lower rails in said central portions of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels;
- said longitudinal channels having stops between said central portion and said side portions so that said upper and lower edges of said core are retained in said central portions of said longitudinal channels;
- and
- a sign panel having an upper edge and a lower edge being receivable in said side portions of said longitudinal channels on one of said first planar side and said second planar side of said core piece, said signage system thereby accommodating signage on said first planar side, said second planar side, and both of said fist and second planar sides of said core piece,
- wherein said supports are anchored into one of the ground beneath said signage system and a substantially vertical wall.
6 more elements
A signage system, comprising:
- two laterally spaced vertical supports;
- an upper rail having first and second ends;
- a lower rail having first and second ends, said upper rail and said lower rail each having confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels running substantially between said first and second ends thereof, each of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels having a longitudinal central portion and longitudinal side portions on either side of said longitudinal central portions;
- said first ends of said upper and lower rails fixedly connected to one of said two vertical supports and said second ends of said upper and lower rails fixedly connected to the other of said two vertical supports such that said upper and lower rails are connected to said two vertical supports by a fixed connection;
- a substantially planar core piece having a first planar side and a second planar side and having upper and lower edges releasably received in said central portions of said confrontingly opposed longitudinal channels, wherein said upper and lower edges of said core piece are held in said longitudinal channels by the fixed connection of said upper and lower rails to said vertical supports;
- said longitudinal channels having stops between said longitudinal central portion and said longitudinal side portions so that said upper and lower edges of said core are retained in said central portions of said longitudinal channels;
- a sign panel having an upper edge and a lower edge being receivable in said side portions of said confrontinigly opposed longitudinal channels on one of said first planar side and said second planar side of said core piece, said signage system thereby accommodating sign panels on said first planar side, said second planar side, and both of said first and second planar sides of said core piece;
- and
- a retaining bracket connectable to said core for one of supporting said sign panel between said retaining bracket and said upper rail and supporting said sign panel between said retaining bracket and said lower rail, wherein said core comprises a support system between said upper rail and said lower rail so that at least two rows of sign panels are supportable between said upper rail and said lower rail.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.