The present invention is a mounting and display system for multiple photographic or other images whereby many different images can be displayed adjacent to each other so that every image can be simultaneously viewed and in which each individual image may be moved instantly to a different position in the display relative to adjacent images without removing images from the display to rearrange the order in which they are contained in the display.

There are many different methods of displaying images which are known in the art. They include photo albums, the most basic form of photo frame for a single image, more complex frames which are intended to display many different images as a collage and very complex displays which may fold and hinge in various ways for either improving storage or for displaying multiple images.

These more complex displays include rotary files such as those illustrated in US 5 291 667, US 3 218 743 and GB 2 268 822 and files which have pages which extend outward from a vertical shaft such as are illustrated in CA 1 059763, EP 0 370 123 and US 4794 713.

The images themselves may be anything, for example, including simple photographs, particularly but not exclusively of the head and shoulders type or graphical images created as illustrations, caricatures, cartoons or other representations in ether colour or black and white. Displays which are intended for viewing of multiple images of the type described where all of the images can be viewed together, at the same time, are usually restricted to collage types of framing systems or hinged displays.

Mostly these known systems are designed to fix the relationships of adjacent images at the time that the images are mounted in the display and the relationship between adjacent images cannot normally be changed by the observer of the images.

It is an object of the present invention to create a display system for images whereby the relationship of each image or each pair of images, to it's neighbouring image or images can be changed instantaneously by the observer of the images, by creating individual pivoted segments to house each image on an image frame portion as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These relationship changes between neighbouring images may be made instantly by rotating the images about a fixed pivot point, without removing any image from the display and each image may be viewed simultaneously before and after any changes in the position of each image relative to it's adjacent image in the display.

This arrangement is particularly useful when displaying images of for example sports teams where it may be necessary to arrange multiple images and change the relationship of each image or pair of images to each other image or other pair of images. This may happen for example when individual team relationships change such as can occur in football teams when there are a number of players available but only certain ones are chosen for a particular match. In these circumstances it may be preferable to display all active team members together with the reserves at each end and the leading players in the middle.

In addition to this family groups may change depending on the occasion which is to be represented, industrial and commercial groups may change for a variety of reasons and political groups may change through various re-organisations which are common today.

The system may be arranged to be suitable for placement on any surface or to be hand held.

It is a further object of the present invention to create a flexible system where the total number of images on display can be changed easily either by realigning the images in the display so that one image may be moved to mask another currently unwanted image or pair of images. Individual images or image pairs together with the associated mount may be removed completely from the display leaving the remaining images displayed correctly as before.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of quickly and easily changing the image located within each individual mount.

According to a first feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images which is formed by bringing together two or more individual segments and where each individual segment contains an image frame portion which may be viewed simultaneously with other image frame portions on other segments.

According to a second feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to the first feature where each individual segment contains one image or more than one image.

According to a third feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature where in use individual segments are pivotally mounted on to a longitudinal shaft.

According to a fourth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature, whereby in use, the height of one or more segments in relation to the height of other segments in the display may be different.

According to a fifth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature in which individual segments have a flat mounting surface upon which images may be attached or any other mounting system which would allow each individual image to be removed from its mounting.

According to a sixth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature in which individual segments have a mounting system allowing each individual image to be removed from its mounting by means of a removable backing piece.

According to a seventh feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature where in use individual segments are pivotally mounted on to a longitudinal shaft and any individual segment may be removed from or added to the said longitudinal mounting shaft.

According to an eighth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature where in use individual segments are pivotally mounted on to a longitudinal shaft and the ends of the said longitudinal shaft are equipped with end pieces.

According to a ninth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature where in use individual segments are pivotally mounted on to a longitudinal shaft and the ends of the said longitudinal shaft are equipped with end pieces where said end pieces also are formed so that they act as feet to stand the display on any suitable surface.

According to a tenth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature where in use individual segments are pivotally mounted on to a longitudinal shaft and the ends of the said longitudinal shaft are equipped with end pieces where said end pieces are also connected by two or more longitudinal shafts in addition to the shaft upon which the segments are mounted.

According to a eleventh feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature where in use individual segments are pivotally mounted on to more then one longitudinal shaft.

According to a twelfth feature of the invention there is provided an adjustable display system for multiple images according to any previous feature in which any longitudinal shaft upon which segments are mounted may be sheathed in a suitable material to create friction between the shaft and the segment mounted upon it.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -

Figure 1 Is a view of a segment which is open ready to accept an image

Figure 2 Is a view of a segment which is closed showing the viewing window at the top and the hole at the bottom ready to accept a longitudinal mounting shaft.

Figure 3 shows a number of segments assembled on to a longitudinal shaft and spread out to form a display. Figure 4 Illustrates a single segment which contains two images which in use appear one above the other. Also in this figure is illustrated a cap for the back of each picture segment used for the purposes of securing the picture within the segment.

Referring now to Figure 1, an individual segment is shown and is viewed from the rear when in use, the segment consists of a main body 1, a mounting hole to receive a longitudinal mounting shaft 2, an image frame portion 3, with an inner lip 4 to prevent the image falling through the frame 3, and a back flap 5 which in use is folded down and clipped into the frame 4 to hold the image securely in the frame.

Figure 2 shows a frontal view of the segment as it would appear when the back flap has been folded down and clipped closed. The image window 6 would of course display the captured image thus the back flap 5 is not visible.

The dimension X in figure 2 will vary so that one may have segments of more than one length. The result of this variable length; which becomes the height of the segment when in use; can be seen in figure 3, which shows an assembled display where there are two different lengths of segments used, thus, in use, making two different arcuate rows of images. Of course it will be realised that more than two lengths of segments may be used to produce more than two rows of images and the sizes of the individual segments may change as may the relative diameter of the image window. Figure 3 also shows an end piece 7 which attaches to the end of the longitudinal shaft 8. This shaft passes through all of the segments and is removeably mounted to the end piece 7. There would be a corresponding end piece on the other end of the longitudinal shaft. This longitudinal shaft may be coated or sleeved with suitable material so as the increase the friction between each individual segment and the said shaft. This is done in order to prevent accidental movement of each segment when in use.

Referring now to figure 4 an alternate segment is illustrated in which two positions are provided for illustrations. Alternate segments therefore, in this specification, are those containing more than one illustration. In this example the illustrations are, in use, one above the other, however they could be in any position relative to each other and more embodiments are available in which more than two mounting positions may be used. When these alternate segments are used then they may be either included with segments with one illustration or a display may consist entirely of segments with more than one illustration or a mixture of single segments and alternate segments.

It will be appreciated that segments may be made in any size or mounted in any number and the position of the longitudinal mounting shaft may vary. There may be a variety of different end pieces not all of which are used as feet for the display and in some cases there may be no end pieces. Also the picture retainer illustrated as 5 in fig 1, may be any suitable retainer or a separate component as illustrated at 10 in figure 4. In a further embodiment the illustration is replaced by a removable holder which will receive an illustration or photograph and which holder is attached to the display by mating with a circular hole on the back flap 5 or the retainer 10.

It is also intended to produce accompanying promotional material where computer graphics are used to simulate opening and closing of the display and so as to demonstrate how the display is used and also to make this system display rotation images to give an observer different view of the product. It is also envisaged that a software system displaying the invention would be made available for use as a computer screen saver.