BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to an advertising device to be secured to the roof of a vehicle.

Various methods of advertising are well known. For example, a stationary advertising device may be displayed at a particular location. Passersby then observe the advertising content displayed on the device as they walk or travel past the device.

One limitation of such stationary devices is that only those people who walk past or travel in the vicinity of the device would be exposed to the advertising content of the device. In many instances this may be the same group of people, e.g., people who live or work in proximity to the device.

In order to overcome this problem, advertising content may be displayed on moving objects, such as vehicles. For example, advertising content may be displayed on busses and taxis. As these vehicles travel around cities or between cities, the size of the target audience is increased while the demographics of such an audience are varied. A problem that has been identified with this type of advertising is that it may be a time-consuming and expensive process to change the advertising content on the vehicles.

Limited advertising has also been done by securing small advertising devices onto the roofs of vehicles. This manner of advertising may however pose its own problems as a device secured to the roof of a vehicle may cause drag on the device and/or the vehicle, which would increase under windy conditions or other conditions that cause turbulence, for 1

-2- example, when the vehicle turns. There may also be a risk that the drag increases to the point where the device may lift off the roof or be damaged.

Known advertising devices also do not provide for an easy and effortless way of securing an advertising device to a vehicle or to replace advertising content of such a device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative advertising device that addresses at least some of the above limitations or problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an advertising device mountable onto a vehicle roof, the advertising device comprising: at least two support structures, each support structure defining an engagement arrangement on one end thereof, each support structure adapted to be mounted on the vehicle roof such that the respective engagement arrangements of the two support structures face each other in use; and an advertising member defining on opposing ends thereof engagement arrangements to engage with the engagement arrangements of the two support structures thereby to secure the advertising member between the two support structures, the advertising member further defining an advertising display area on exposed sides thereof.

Each of the support structures is independently mountable on the vehicle roof. Each engagement arrangement of the two support structures together with the engagement arrangements of the advertising member may define a complementary engagement arrangement in order to enable the advertising member and the support structure to engage one another releasably.

The complementary engagement arrangements may be male-female arrangements. Alternatively the arrangement may be a slide and a snap-fit arrangement. Preferably, the complementary engagement arrangement is a tongue and groove arrangement. In particular, the engagement arrangement of each of the support structures is a groove or channel running along the length of one side of the support structure in order to receive a tongue formation of the advertising member.

Typically, the advertising device also includes a securing member or plate securely mountable on top of the two support structures and the advertising member such that, in use, the advertising member is secured between the two support structures and cannot be removed without first removing the securing member. Typically the securing member extends over the advertising member and between the two support structures. The securing member may be secured to the two support structures using a locking mechanism requiring special tooling to lock or unlock.

The securing member may include at least one light source embedded in an operatively lower section of the securing plate thereby to illuminate the advertising member in use. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one light source is multiple Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) spaced along underside of the securing member.

The device may include at least air deflector attachable to at least one of the two support structure on one side thereof. Typically, the air deflector may be a fin-shaped member, which, in use, may serve as a wind-breaker by reducing drag and protecting the advertising device during windy conditions. The support structures may be mounted on the roof portion of the vehicle by a mounting arrangement. The mounting arrangement may include a lug located on the roof of the vehicle to receive an inner bar that extends through the support structure. The lug may fit over and/or in an aperture drilled into the vehicle roof or may, alternatively, form part of a roof shell that snugly fits onto at least a portion of the roof of the vehicle that is secured with clamps to the side of the vehicle roof.

The mounting arrangement may further include at least one tension plate in use located over the support structure, with an inner bar extending therethrough, the tension plate being connected through a cable to a support clamp and tensioning device secured to a side of the roof of the vehicle.

Additionally, the advertising device may comprise an alert system to provide notification to the driver of the vehicle when the height of the vehicle and advertising device is excessive, the alert system comprising an aerial mounted on the front end of the vehicle roof and an actuator that detects when the aerial bends in response to which an alarm is sounded.

The advertising member may comprise an internal structure or frame with an outer frame which defines on its upper end and lower end U-shaped channels which are to receive printed plastic sheets forming the exposed sides or faces of the advertising member.

The advertising device may also include a communication device adapted to communicate with a control room in order to transmit location information and/or an device identity associated with the advertising member.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an advertising device comprising: two support structures adapted to be mounted on a roof portion of a vehicle; 4841

-5- an advertising member defining an advertising display area on exposed sides thereof, the advertising member securable by a securing means in-between the two support structures and on the roof portion of the vehicle; and at least one air deflector attachable to at least one of the two support structures on one side thereof, the at least one air deflector member preferably having a fin-shape, which, in use, serve as a wind-breaker by reducing drag on the device and protecting the advertising device during windy conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a pictorial view of an advertising device mounted on a vehicle roof in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a planar cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the advertising device, in particular showing support structures, an advertising member and air deflectors of the device, in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of a support structure of the advertising device of Figure 1 in accordance with one example embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 shows a planar cross-sectional view of the support structure and advertising device of Figure 3 in accordance with one example embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 shows a perspective and side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the advertising member in accordance with the invention; and 1

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Figure 6 shows a pictorial view of the advertising device mounted by means of an alternative embodiment of a mounting arrangement on the vehicle roof in accordance with another example embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details or in any specific manner.

Turning to Figure 1 an advertising device 10 is shown as mounted or secured to a roof 14 of a vehicle 12. The advertising device 10 extends from the front to the back of the vehicle 12 and is typically mounted along a central or middle part of the roof 14. The advertising device 10 comprises two upright support structures 16 and 18 between which is mounted and held an advertising member 20 used to display advertising content on advertising display areas on the exposed sides or faces of the advertising member 20. The upright support structures 16 and 18 are securely mounted to the roof 14 of the vehicle 12. Typically, each support structure is independently secured to the vehicle roof 14.

The advertising device 10 includes at least one air deflector, shown as a fin-shaped deflector 22. The advertising device additionally may comprise a windbreaker 24 at the back of the advertising device, shown as a tail fin- shaped member. Although the windbreaker 24 is also referred to in this document as an air deflector, it is to be appreciated that the windbreaker 24 need not have air deflecting qualities and may, in one example embodiment, only contribute to the aesthetic features of the advertising 10 054841

-7- device 10. The fin-shaped deflector 22 and windbreaker 24 are respectively attachable to the support structure 16 secured towards the front of the roof 14 of the vehicle 12 and to the support structure 18 secured towards the back of the roof of the vehicle 12. The fin-shaped air deflector 22 reduces the aerodynamic forces such as drag on the device 10, especially when the vehicle 12 to which the device 10 is secured is travelling at speed or when the vehicle 12 is turning. In reducing the drag on the device 10, the device 10 is less likely to be damaged and the use of the device 10 on vehicles is less risky.

In the example embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the device 10 includes a spacer 26 that is provided between the roof 14 of the vehicle 12 and the lower part of the advertising member 20. The advertising member 20 partially rests on the spacer 26, dispersing the weight of the advertising member and defining an air channel 28 between the advertising member 20 and the roof 14 of the vehicle which also increases the aerodynamic features of the device when secured to the roof 14 of a vehicle 12.

It will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention the spacer could be omitted, with the advertising member 20 carried by the two support structures 16 and 18.

The advertising device 10 further includes a securing member or plate 30 which is strip of material securely mountable on the two support structures 16, 18 and over the advertising member 20 such that the advertising member 20 cannot be removed from between the two support structures 16, 18 without first removing the securing member 30. The securing member 30 extends between the support structures 16 and 18 and is securely mounted on the two support structures using a locking arrangement which requires special tooling to unlock.

The securing member or plate 30 need not be a solid strip of material and may have a lattice structure to improve the advertising device's aerodynamic features. Additionally, the advertising device 10 may include an alert system to provide notification to the driver of the vehicle 12 when the combined height of the vehicle and advertising device 10 may cause structural damage or an accident. This is necessary as the mounted advertising device 10 creates significant additional height to the vehicle. The device, and potentially the vehicle, is therefore at an increased risk of being damaged when the driver inadvertently drives into or under a structure with a height lower than that of the vehicle.

The alert system comprises an aerial 74 mounted on the front end of the roof 14, in front of the device 10, combined with an actuator in the form of an electrical switch 76, and a siren. The aerial 74 is preferably affixed to the roof 14 or to a roof shell, as will be described later in the document. The aerial 74 is typically a spring steel rod the same height of the advertising device 10. When the rod is bent, e.g., due to an overhead obstruction, the electrical switch is engaged and the siren is activated or the siren actuator activates a siren, thereby alerting the driver of the imminent danger. It will be appreciated that the steel rod forming the aerial will be designed to ensure that winds or movement of the vehicle 12 will not bend the aerial sufficiently to create a false alarm.

Turning now to Figure 2 and 3, further details of the invention are described. In particular, Figure 2 shows a partial cross-section of the air deflector 22, the support structures 16 and 18 and the advertising member 20, while Figure 3 shows a lateral cross-section of the support structure 16 and the securing member 30.

The advertising member 20 and the support structures 16 and 18 are in general adapted to be secured to each other through the advertising member, thereby for the support structures to securely hold the advertising member 20 between them. As shown in Figure 2, each of the at least two support structures 16, 18 defines an engagement arrangement 32 and 34 on one end thereof. The support structures 16 and 18 are both adapted to be mounted, independently, on the roof 14 of the vehicle 12 using a mounting arrangement discussed in detail below. The support structures are mounted such that their respective engagement arrangements 32 and 34 face each other once secured to the roof 14.

As mentioned, the advertising member 20 defines on its exposed sides or faces advertising display areas 36 which carry advertising content. It will be appreciated that various types of adverts may be carried by the display area 36, and that this information would be viewed by any person looking at the advertising device 10.

As shown in Figure 2, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the advertising member 20 defines on its opposing ends engagement arrangements 38 and 40 of which each has a complementary fit with the engagement arrangements 32 and 34 of the support structures 16 and 18.

In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 2, each of the engagement arrangements 32 and 34 of the support structures 16 and 18 defines a female engagement formation in the form of a channel or slot extending on one side along the length of the structure. The engagement arrangements 38 and 40 of the advertising member 20 are male engagement formations shown as protruding extensions that have a complementary fit with the channels of the support structures. In order to fit the advertising member 20 to the support structures 16 and 18 once the support structures have been secured to the roof 14 of the vehicle 12, the engagement formations of the advertising member 20 are received by the channels or slots of the support structure and then slid into place. The complementary engagement formations accordingly provide a structurally secure and very simple way of mounting the advertising member 20 to the support structures 16 and 18. T IB2010/054841

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The advertising member 20 may be removed from the support structures 16, 18 to replace the advertising content carried by the display areas 36. It will also be appreciated that the advertising content may form an integral part of the advertising member 20, in which case the entire advertising member 20 is to be removed and replaced. The advertising member 20 may have different shapes and/or configurations, one of which is described further below.

Each of the support structures 16 and 18 may be a pole, frame or any suitable supporting structure or means. Furthermore, each of the support structures may include a rigid polyurethane inner defining a channel or conduit 42 to receive an inner support bar 44 (shown in Figure 3) made from a metal such as steel. The rigid polyurethane inner is typically surrounded by a plastic outer layer made, for example, from an A B S plastic material. The inner bar 44, in use, extends through the support structure 16, 18 and preferably through the advertising member 20 and is secured to the securing member 30. The inner bar 44 provides the support structure with its structural properties.

In order to further anchor the advertising member 20 to the roof 14, the device 10 may include a further supporting arrangement. In the event of employing this supporting arrangement, the advertising member 20 defines a channel or conduit 46 through the advertising member 20 extending from its upper end to its lower end. In use, this channel receives yet a further inner support bar of which a lower end of the support bar is in a secure arrangement with the roof 14 of the vehicle 12 while its upper end is secured to the covering plate 30.

Turning now in particular to Figures 3 and 4, an example arrangement of securing the advertising device 10 to the roof 14 of a vehicle 12 is described in more detail. After an aperture has been drilled into the roof 14 of the vehicle 12, a lug 48 which forms part of the advertising device 10 is fitted over the aperture. The lug 48 typically comprises a circular steel body with a protrusion 50 that is received by the aperture in the roof 14. In an upper part of the lug 48 a receiving cavity 52 is defined which receives the bottom end of the inner support bar 44 which extends through the advertising member 20. As mentioned above, the upper end of the support bar 44 extends, in the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, through the covering plate 30 and is secured in place by a lock cap 54 which has a locking mechanism that requires special tooling to lock or unlock. The lug 48 is typically secured to the roof 12 through a glue or epoxy and provides waterproofing of the aperture drilled into the roof 14 of the vehicle 12.

The securing member 30 has embedded in its underside at least one light source in order to illuminate the advertising member 20. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one light source is multiple Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) 56 which require a low level power supply such as a battery. The LEDs 56 are preferably spaced along the length of the securing member 30 to provide sufficient lighting to the advertising member 20. The securing member 30 may also define multiple apertures 58 extending from the top to the bottom through the securing member 30, thereby providing a surface area which may be at least 50% perforated. These apertures 58 decrease drag on the advertising device 10 and assist in ensuring that the device 10 remains secured to the roof 14 of the vehicle 12 during an exposure to windy conditions.

In order to ensure that the support structures 16 and 18 are securely mounted on the roof 14 of the vehicle 12, the device 10 may further include tension plates 60 located over the inner bars 44 extending through the support structures and the advertising member 20. The tension plates 60 define apertures through which the bars extend and includes fastening means in the form of eyelets 62 to which one end of a cable 64 is connected. The other end of the cable 64 is connected through turnbuckles or similar tensioning devices (not shown) to a support clamp 66 affixed to a portion of the roof 14 of the vehicle 12.

As mentioned, the engagement arrangements of the two support structures 16 and 18 together with the engagement arrangements of the advertising member 20 defines a complementary engagement arrangement in order to enable the advertising member 20 and the support structures 16 and 18 to engage one another in a releasable fashion. The complementary engagement arrangement may be a slide and a snap-fit arrangement. Other suitable complementary engagement arrangements or fastening arrangements may alternatively be used. For example, the complementary engagement arrangement may be a tongue and groove arrangement.

In order to secure the air deflectors 22 and 24 to the support structures 16 and 18 similar engagement arrangements as those mentioned above may be used. In using an easily releasable arrangement, the air deflectors could be replaced, if damaged, without too much effort.

The advertising device 10 may also include a communication device (not shown) embedded in the advertising member 20, a support structure 16 or 18 or event an air deflector 22 or 24. The communication device is adapted to communicate with a control room location information associated with the advertising member 20. The communication device may include a GPS receiver or similar location-based technology (e.g., mobile telephone location technology) that may be used to determine the location of the advertising device. The location of the advertising device 10 and/or a device identity is then transmitted to the control room or to pre-registered users in order to provide means to confirm that the advertising device 10 has been exposed to various marketing audiences. For example, a company making use of the advertising device may want to know whether the vehicle 12 is indeed permanently secured to a vehicle travelling along various roads in order to advertise its goods and/or service.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the advertising member 20 may be adapted to allow for the advertising content to be secured on the exposed sides or faces of the advertising member 20 through structural means as thin plastic sheets. Turning to Figure 5, the advertising member 20 is shown as comprising an internal structure or frame 68 with an outer frame which defines on its upper end and lower end U-shaped channels 70. It will be appreciated that the external and internal frame may be integrally formed. Advertisements are printed directly onto thin, preferably stiff, plastic sheets, in one example embodiment approximately 1 mm thick, which plastic sheets are slid into the upper and lower U-shaped channels 70 thereby to be secured on the exposed sides or faces of the advertising member 20.

At either the front (leading) end or back (trailing) end of the advertising member 20 a similar U-shaped channel 72 may be defined against which the end of the plastic sheet will abut. The other end of the plastic sheet and thus the entire plastic sheet is secured in place by a removable securing strip that is secured over the end of the advertising member 20 and the exposed U-shaped channels.

Whenever the advertising content displayed by the advertising device 10 is to be changed, the advertising member 20 is removed by firstly removing the securing member 30 and then slipping the advertising member 20 out from the complementary engagement arrangements it has with the two support structures 16 and 18. The removable securing strip is then removed from either the leading or trailing end of the advertising member 20, whereafter the thin plastic sheets carrying the advertising content are slid out from the upper and lower U-shaped channels 70 and replaced by thin plastic sheets carrying updated advertising content.

The removable securing strip is then re-affixed to the end of the advertising member by, for example, screwing it into position. Typically, the securing strip is to cover the printed sheets slightly so that when the strip is screwed into position, the sheet cannot be removed.

The advertising member 20 is then again slid between the two support structures, and the securing member is secured over it.

It will be appreciated that this embodiment provides for a system where the sheets of advertising content may be manufactured independently from the advertising member. The replacement of the sheets is quick and easy, while their transport is also simple.

Turning to Figure 6, a preferred embodiment of affixing or securing the advertising device 10 to the roof 14 of the vehicle 12 is shown. The same reference numerals as in Figure 1 have been used for parts of the advertising device 10.

In this embodiment, an additional mounting structure of roof structure 78 is secured onto the roof 14 of the vehicle 12. The roof structure 78 comprises a slim line roof shell that snugly fits onto at least a portion of the roof. Preferably, the roof shell comprises a front part 78a and a back part 78b, which are manufactured (custom-made) for each type of vehicle model.

The roof shell is typically made from cast resin reinforced with fibre glass. It has a flexible rubber coating on its underside to protect the vehicle roof 14 from being scratched when the roof shell is placed over it and the advertising device 10 is secured to it. The sides of each of the roof shell parts have a securing mechanism 80, typically a clamping bracket made for example from steel or aluminium, which is mounted into the resin. The securing mechanism 80 allows the roof shell part to be secured or clamped onto a side railing of the vehicle roof structure.

Once secured, the roof shell part 78a and 78b is firmly secured onto the roof 14 of the vehicle and creates a structural foundation on which the advertising device 10 is assembled.

The front part 78a of the roof shell supports the front fin support structure 16 of the advertising structure, while the back part 78b of the roof shell supports the back fin support structure 18 of the advertising device 10. The front part 78a is typically molded to curve with the vehicle roof and is typically larger than the front fin assembly thereby ensuring that the entire fin design is firmly seated onto a structural base. ln this preferred embodiment of the invention, an aperture is not drilled into the roof 14 of the vehicle 12. Rather, the lug 48 is molded into the roof shell. As with the previous embodiment, the lug 48 defines a receiving cavity 52 which receives the bottom end of the inner support bar 44 which extends through the advertising member 20. The upper end of the support bar 44 extends, through the covering plate 30 and is secured in place by a lock cap 54 which has a locking mechanism that requires special tooling to lock or unlock.