Portable Stand for an Information Display Article

Abstract

A portable display stand including a sheet of substantially rigid but not inflexible material having a plurality of cuts to provide four sections which are moveable relative to one another such that the sheet may be converted from a first, flat configuration to a second, erected configuration in which it is able to support an information display article in an inclined position.

1 . A portable display stand comprising a sheet of substantially rigid but not inflexible material which in a first configuration lies flat and which comprises a plurality of cuts lying within a boundary defined by the outer periphery of the sheet thereby to provide at least four sections which are moveable relative to one another to convert the sheet from the first, flat configuration to a second, erected configuration in which it is able to support an information display article in an inclined position, said plurality of cuts being arranged to define the outlines of at least a base section for resting, in use, on a support surface, a foot stop against which, in use, a lower edge of an information display article may be restrained from sliding downwards from an inclined position, a back support and a tab, the foot stop, back support and tab each being inclinable relative to the base section about respective hinge positions, the back support and tab being shaped to define formations which are inter-engagable to secure each of the back support and a tab in a position inclined relative to the base section, and said portable stand further comprising at least one stabiliser region which extends beyond the hinge position of the back section as considered in a direction away from the foot stop. 
     
     
         2 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein the back support comprises a notch which defines part of the outer periphery of the sheet when in the first, flat configuration and which, in use, inter-engages with the tab to secure the stand in the second configuration. 
     
     
         3 . A portable display stand according to  claim 2  wherein the tab comprises a formation for engaging with the notch in the back support. 
     
     
         4 . A portable display stand according to  claim 3  wherein the tab comprises a plurality of formations whereby the back support may be selectively secured relative to the tab in any one of two or more inclined positions. 
     
     
         5 . A portable display stand according to  claim 4  wherein the tab comprises at least two and preferably five pairs of notches with the two notches of each pair being provided in respective parallel edge regions of the tab to serve as formations for engaging with the notch in the back support. 
     
     
         6 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein the sheet is devoid of any voids inwards of the outer periphery of the sheet. 
     
     
         7 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  and comprising a plurality of cuts formed by die cutting. 
     
     
         8 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein, for at least one of the foot stop, back support and tab, the sheet material comprises a hinge position which comprises a cut which extends along a part of the length of the hinge position. 
     
     
         9 . A portable display stand according to  claim 8  wherein said cut is formed by die cutting. 
     
     
         10 . A portable display stand according to  claim 8  wherein each of the foot stop, back support and tab comprises a hinge position which comprises a cut which extends along a part of the length of the hinge position. 
     
     
         11 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein the respective hinge positions for each of the foot stop, back support and tab each have mutually parallel hinge axes. 
     
     
         12 . A portable display stand according to  claim 11  wherein the hinge axis for the tab lies between the hinge axis for the back support and the hinge axis for the foot stop. 
     
     
         13 . A portable display stand according to  claim 11  wherein the base section comprises a pair of distal edge regions spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to said hinge axes of the foot stop, back support and tab, and said hinge axes each being at respective positions which are spaced inwards from said distal edge regions of the base section. 
     
     
         14 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the back support and tab has an edge region furthest from the respective hinge axis thereof and said edge region defines a part of the outer periphery of the sheet when the sheet is in said first, flat configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A potable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein when converting from the first towards the second configuration each of the foot stop, back support and tab is moved, at least initially, in the same rotational direction about the respective hinge axis of the foot stop, back support and tab. 
     
     
         16 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein the base section comprises two stabiliser regions which each lie adjacent a respective one of a pair of opposite edges of the sheet. 
     
     
         17 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein each of the foot stop, back support and tab are defined by cuts positioned relative to their respective hinge positions such that they are each movable in the same direction when converting from the first, flat configuration to the second, erected configuration. 
     
     
         18 . A portable display stand according to  claim 1  wherein an edge region of the outer periphery is formed with a notch for inter-engaging with a tab, said edge region being profiled to provide two support zones spaced apart, at opposite sides of and remote from the notch. 
     
     
         19 . A portable display stand according to  claim 18  wherein said spaced apart support zones lie further from the back support hinge position than the parts of the edge region adjacent the notch. 
     
     
         20 . A portable display stand comprising a sheet of substantially rigid but not inflexible material which in a first configuration lies flat and which comprises a plurality of cuts lying within a boundary defined by the outer periphery of the sheet thereby to provide at least four sections which are moveable relative to one another to convert the sheet from the first, flat configuration to a second, erected configuration in which it is able to support an information display article in an inclined position, said plurality of cuts being arranged to define the outlines of at least a base section for resting, in use, on a support surface, a foot stop against which, in use, a lower edge of an information display article may be restrained from sliding downwards from an inclined position, a back support and a tab, the foot stop, back support and tab each being inclinable relative to the base section about respective hinge positions, the back support and tab being shaped to define formations which are inter-engagable to secure each of the back support and a tab in a position inclined relative to the base section, at least one of the back support and tab comprising an edge region furthest from the respective hinge position thereof and said edge region defining a part of said outer periphery of the sheet when the sheet is in the first, flat configuration, said portable stand further comprising at least one stabiliser region which extends beyond the hinge position of the back section as considered in a direction away from the hinge position of the foot stop, said base section comprising a pair of distal edge regions which are spaced apart as considered n a direction perpendicular to said hinge positions, said hinge positions each lying between and spaced inwards from said distal edge regions, said hinge positions each comprising hinge axes about which each of the foot stop, back support and tab may be rotated, at least initially, in the same direction when converting from the first towards the second configuration.