The present invention relates to a display device of the type used on advertising or other signs comprising a plurality of projecting arms, and small light reflecting plates which are freely suspended on the arms. These plates are mounted so that they have independent and limited free swinging movement on their projecting arms, and when the plates are moved about by a breeze, the sign gives the illusion of having mechanically moved and illuminated parts and provides an attractive shimmering effect and a pleasant metallic whisper.
Display devices of the type are already known in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,938,291; 3,043,039; 3,260,372.
In the conventional prior art as disclosed in the above U.S. patents, however, problems have encountered in that every reflecting plate of the display device does not actually have a limited free swinging movement responsive to a breeze. More specifically, in the conventional display device, the degrees of a back-and-forth movement with respect to a plane of a panel are substantially constant every time when the reflecting plates swing about the arm, which suspend the plates, about several tens of angular degrees, and when the plate is further swung by 180.degree. by a stronger wind from the original or a windless condition. Further, the above-stated back-and-forth movement of the reflecting plates has been relatively large, and therefore, some of the plates face this way while the other that way even in a windless condition.
Furthermore, when the reflecting plates are swung by a breeze, only a small friction drag is found at the arm which freely suspends the reflecting plates. The friction drag is so small that it takes a relatively great amount of time until the reflecting plates which have been swung restore to the normal original position. In other words, the swung plates come back to the original position, swinging like a pendulumn of a clock, resulting in taking a great amount of time to return to the original position. Therefore, the reflecting plates have not been of rapid response to a continuous breeze.
Further, when the reflecting plates are wound by 180.degree. so that the plates stand in an upside-down manner, it has been found that the reflecting plates sometimes stand still in the upside-down manner due to the fact that a component of force which pushes the reflecting plates toward a backing sheet or base member from which the arms projects for suspending the plates is so small.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved display device wherein reflecting plates are rapidly responsive to a breeze.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved display device wherein reflecting plates return to the original position when they are swung by a breeze, in an immediate manner.
Further objects of the present invention is to provide an improved display device wherein the aforementioned shortcomings of the conventional device are removed.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds