Back to results
US 7,458,554 B1Granted
Portable sign stand with sign release mechanism
AssigneeMarketing Displays, Inc.
InventorsYevgeniy M Levin, David U Hillstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable sign assembly is provided and includes a sign assembly that is selectively interconnected with a base assembly. The sign assembly includes a vertical brace extending therefrom that is in sliding engagement with an upright of the base assembly. A sign release mechanism is further provided and is disposed on the upright for releasably securing the sign and base assemblies. The release mechanism includes a lock-pin that is slidably disposed through the upright and is biased in a first position by a spring member disposed within the upright. The lock-pin selectively engages the vertical brace for prohibiting sliding motion between the vertical brace and the upright.
Claims29
A portable sign assembly comprising:
- a sign assembly including a vertical brace extending therefrom;
- a base assembly including an upright for slidably receiving said vertical brace therein, said upright having an upright end defining an open end, thereby supporting said sign assembly;
- a release mechanism for selectively interconnecting said sign assembly and said base assembly, said release mechanism comprising:
- a lock-pin located near said open end and directly supported by a wall portion of said upright for sliding movement between a first position and a second position;
- and
- a biasing member for biasing said lock-pin in said first position, wherein said lock-pin engages an aperture of said vertical brace when in said first position for prohibiting sliding of said vertical brace relative to said upright and disengages said vertical brace when in said second position for permitting sliding motion of said vertical brace relative to said upright;
- and
- a cap secured on said open end of said upright for at least partially covering said upright without engaging said lock-pin.
5 more elements
A portable sign assembly comprising:
- a sign assembly including a vertical brace extending therefrom;
- a base assembly including an upright for slidably receiving said vertical brace therein, said upright having an upright end defining an open end, thereby supporting said sign assembly;
- a release mechanism for selectively interconnecting said sign assembly and said base assembly, said release mechanism comprising:
- a lock-pin located near said open end and directly supported by a wall portion of said upright for sliding movement between a first position and a second position;
- a biasing member in direct interconnection between said upright and said lock-pin for biasing said lock-pin in said first position, wherein said lock-pin engages an aperture of said vertical brace when in said first position for prohibiting sliding of said vertical brace relative to said upright and disengages said vertical brace when in said second position for permitting sliding motion of said vertical brace relative to said upright;
- and
- a cap secured on said open end of said upright for covering said upright without engaging said lock-pin.
4 more elements
A method of constructing a release mechanism for a portable sign stand, the method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a lock-pin having a first leg and a second leg into a first end of an elongated member in a first direction such that said first leg of said lock-pin is received in a first aperture of said elongated member and directly supported by said elongated member for sliding movement therein;
- positioning said lock-pin in an extended position such that an engagement element formed on said first leg is located within an interior volume of said elongated member;
- providing a leaf spring having a slot formed therein;
- applying a compressive force on said leaf spring and simultaneously inserting said leaf spring into an end of said elongated member such that said slot formed in said leaf spring circumscribes said first leg;
- and
- releasing said leaf spring such that said engagement element engages said leaf spring to bias said lock-pin toward said extended position.
3 more elements
A portable sign assembly comprising:
- a sign assembly having a vertical brace;
- a base assembly including an upright having a side wall and an interior wall, said upright having an upright end defining an open end, a first cavity and a second cavity, said first cavity slidably receiving said vertical brace to support said sign assembly in an upright position;
- a lock-pin located near said open end and directly supported by a wall portion of said side wall and said interior wall for sliding movement between a first position and a second position;
- a spring for biasing said lock-pin toward said first position;
- and
- a cap member for covering said second cavity of said upright without engaging said lock-pin;
- wherein a free end of said lock-pin is positioned away from said interior wall when in said first position to engage and retain said vertical brace within said first cavity;
- and
- wherein a free end of said lock-pin is positioned towards said interior wall when in said second position to disengage and release said vertical brace within said first cavity.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.