An information support unit having at least one concave presentation face.

Introduction and background to the invention.

The present invention relates to a display unit comprised of at least one display sheet of a substantially rigid and foldable material divided into a plurality of panels by crease and/or score lines that form a display unit with at least one concave presentation face.

Typically a device used in counter and window displays to enhance or describe a product placed in front of it is a flat sheet of cardboard of substantial thickness, held vertically by a supporting strut or device attached to the back. These displays or showcards are often used to associate the product with an aspirational image printed on the display. Because of the thickness of board required to maintain a rigid state, printing is generally restricted to the silkscreen process applied directly to the board or to a lithographic label, which is then laminated to the board.

Unlike the typical flat display unit, the invention surrounds and visually embraces an object placed in front of it. The concave display is self-supporting by virtue of curved panels and may be produced out of thin material that may be printed lithographically to economically achieve high quality print and also may be automatically folded and glued on standard box making equipment.

Larger floor standing displays are used at trade exhibitions and at retail to carry a promotional message. They are required to be cheap to produce and easy to erect and many versions are in the market place including flat vertical display boards with supporting struts. Convex display towers such as that disclosed in EP1395971 Francois L'Hotel are also available.

The film industry uses substantial point of sale devices, including flat and convex displays, to promote films in cinema foyers. A cheap concave free-standing floor display unit, which may appear to mimic a panoramic cinema screen is a natural alternative for the promotion of films as well as products like cosmetics that want to be associated with the glamour of the big screen or a vista, like the cruise liner trade. Statement of invention.

This invention relates to a concave display comprising one or more display sheets joined together to create a single sheet of substantially rigid and foldable material divided into a plurality of panels delimited from adjacent panels by crease or score lines.

When assembled or when erected from a collapsed state tensions created in the material produce a concave Front Panel for display attached at the centre to the Rear Panel, which may also be forced into a concave form.

The device allows three basic variants, which in turn have a number of variants. Although extra panels may be employed all variants rely for their geometry on a left panel that may be divided into two or more panels, a right panel that may be divided into two or more panels, a Rear Panel that may be divided into a Left Rear Half Panel and a Right Rear Half Panel to aid automated manufacture and a Front Panel. In all variants, the Front Panel is attached to the Rear Panel via the side panels and in addition the back of the Rear Panel is attached directly or indirectly to the back of the Front Panel in such a way that when erected the Front Panel is forced into a concave curve and the Rear Panel may also be forced into a concave curve.

Variant One (Front View Figure 1 , Rear View Figure 2, Panel Layout Figure 3) This embodiment of the invention employs a Front Panel (F1 ) and a Rear Panel (B1) and a Left Side Panel (L1) and a Right Side Panel (R1). When assembled this configuration creates a rigid display that cannot be collapsed by virtue of the Front Panel (F1) being fixed to the Rear Panel (R1) by the Side Panels (L1 and R1) and the centre Glue Seam (G2 Figure 3) fixing the back of the Front Panel to the back of the Rear Panel. The Rear Panel (B1) may be attached to the Left Side Panel (L1) by a Glue Seam Panel (G 1 Figure 1 and Figure 3) or a Tab and Slot device (Figure 48) or any other joining device.

Variant Two (Front View Figure 4, Rear View Figure 5, Panel Layout Figure 6) This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variant One but has no Glue Panel, instead the Rear Panel is divided vertically down the middle into a Left Rear Panel (B1 ) and a Right Rear Panel (B2) that are folded over and fixed to the back of the Front Panel (F1) at points along the Glue Seams or along the entire length of the Glue Seams (G 1 and G2, Figure 6). Variant Three (Front View Figure 7, Rear View Figure 8, Panel Layout Figure 9, Flat assembly diagram Figure 10, Flat Front Panels Figure 15, Flat Rear Panels Figure 16, Concertina Spring-up Fold Figure 18 and Figure 19, Flat Outward Fold Figure 20 and Figure 21 , Rigid Members Figure 22) This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variant One but divides the side panels in Variant One into two Front Side Panels (L1 and R1) of equal width to two Rear Side Panels (L2 and R2) so that they may be folded inwards, concertina style (Figure 9 and Figure 11) and which may allow the unit to automatically erect in a pop-up fashion using the tensions in the board created by the concertina fold when the display is released from its outer packaging. This variant may also be produced with the side panels (L1 , L2, R1 , R2) folded outwards (Figure 10 and Figure 12) to allow the display to lie flat for transit without requiring outer packaging to prevent it auto-erecting. In this case the side panels are pushed inwards to erect the display. The display may be joined together by a Glue Panel (Figure 5 G1 ) or tab and slot panel device (Figure 48) or any other joining device. To achieve rigidity, independent panels in a substantially rigid material (Figure 13, T1 and T2) may be inserted.

Variant Four (Front View Figure 11 , Rear View Figure 12, Panel Layout Figure 13, Flat Assembly Diagram Figure 14, Flat Front Panels Figure 15, Flat Rear Panels Figure 17)

This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variant Three but has no Glue Panel, instead the Rear Panel is divided vertically down the middle into a Left Rear Panel (B1) and a Right Rear Panel (B2) that are folded over and fixed to the back of the Front Panel (F1) at points along the Glue Seams or along the entire length of the Glue Seams (G 1 and G2, Figure 13) to aid automated manufacture.

Variant Five (Front View Figure 22, Rear View Figure 23, Panel layout Figure 25, Flat Assembly Diagram Figure 26, Front Panels Folded Figure 31 , Rear Panels Folded Figure 32))

This embodiment of the invention may have a Front Panel (F1 ) wider than a Rear Panel (B1) and Rear Side Panels (L2 and R2) wider than Front Side Panels (L1 and L2). This creates a display with a deeper depth than Variant One with the same width of Front Panel, which increases stability. To erect the display the side panels (L1 , L2, R1 , R2) are pushed inwards and smoothed into place. The display may be joined together by a Glue Panel (G1 Figure 23, Figure 25, Figure 26) or tab and slot panel device (Figure 48) or any other joining device. Variant Six (Front View Figure 27, Rear View Figure 28, Panel layout Figure 29, Flat Assembly Diagram Figure 30, Front Panels Folded Figure 31 , Rear Panels Folded Figure 33)

This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variant Five but has no Glue Panel, instead the Rear Panel is divided vertically down the middle into a Left Rear Panel (B1 Figure 28) and a Right Rear Panel (B2 Figure 28) that are folded over and fixed to the back of the Front Panel (F1) at points along the Glue Seams or along the entire length of the Glue Seams (G 1 and G2, Figure 29) to aid automated manufacture.

Variant Seven (Rear View Figure 34)

This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variants Five and Six but with stabilizers (K1 and K2) formed from die-cuts in the Rear Side Panels (l_2 and

R2).

Variant Eight (Rear View Figure 35))

This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variants Five and Six but with stabilizers (K1 and K2) formed from die-cuts in the Rear Panels (B1 and B2).

Variant Nine (Front View Figure 36, Rear View Figure 37, Panel layout Figure 38, Flat Assembly Diagram 39, Front Panels Folded Figure 44, Rear Panels Folded Figure 45, Snap Lock Erection Plans Figure 47)

This embodiment of the invention has a Front Panel (F1 ) that may be wider than the Rear Panel (B1 ) and has Rear Side Panels (L2 and R2) that are wider than the Front Side Panels (L1 and R1). The dimensions of the Rear Side Panels relative to the dimensions of the Front Side panels and the dimensions of the Rear Panel (B1 ) together with the stiffness of the board are such that when pushed inwards the side panels snap past a point of no return and into a position creating a rigid display. Double fold lines may also be employed producing extra panels (X) to allow the material to fold back upon itself. The display may be joined together by a Glue Panel (Figure 1 G1) or tab and slot panel device (Figure 48) or any other joining device.

Variant 10 (Front View Figure 40, Rear View Figure 41 , Panel layout Figure 42, Flat Assembly Diagram 43, Front Panels Folded Figure 44, Rear Panels Folded Figure 46)

This embodiment of the invention is the same as Variant Nine but has no Glue Panel, instead the Rear Panel is divided vertically down the middle into a Left Rear Panel (B1 ) and a Right Rear Panel (B2) that are folded over and fixed to the back of the Front Panel (F1 Figure 41 , Figure 42, Figure 43) at points along the Glue Seams or along the entire length of the Glue Seams (G 1 and G2, Figure 42) to aid automated manufacture.