CA1304035C

CA1304035C - Escalator advertising

Info

Publication number: CA1304035C
Application number: CA000567431A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Andrew Boyd French
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-21
Filing date: 1988-05-20
Publication date: 1992-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 2009-06-23
Also published as: EP0316384A1; NO890193D0; HK1005894A1; DK25089A; NO179347B; NZ224711A; DK25089D0; WO1988009545A1; FI102223B; JPH02500137A; JP2813608B2; KR890702172A; FI890218A0; EP0316384B1; FI102223B1; FI890218A; US5020256A; NO179347C; EP0316384A4; DE3887277T2

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A hand rail (1) for a moving walkway, escalator or the like having a cover (6,8,12, or 16) of transparent material substantially thereover, such that advertising material (5, 14) and/or printed material place on the hand rail (1) may by seen through the cover (6, 8, 12, 16). The cover may be manufactured separately from the hand rail (1) such that it may be removed therefrom (6) permanently affixed thereto (8), or hinged therefrom (16). The cover may also be manufactured integrally as part of the hand rail (12). Alternatively, the cover may be a hardenable liquid such as plasticised PVC.

Description

:l 3~ 3~;
~ Ql_~2Y~TISIN~

The present invention relates to advertising and m~re parti~ularli ao advertising upon movin~ walkw~y~, escalators and the like ~here a holding r~.il or ~and i~ utili~e~.
Adve~ti~ing has appeared on stairs and the ætructures of such apparatus as elevators and ~tairways. Howeve~, the hol~ing Qr h~nd rail~ on escalators and ~oving w~lkw~ys have not been utilised for the purpose of a~vertisingt It is ~n obj~ct of the p~esent in~e~tion to provide hand rail, for a moving walkway or ~scalator, which allows advertisin~ to be inserted therein and sRen therethrough.
In one broad form, the pr~sBnt inve~tion comprises ~ hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like h~v;ng a cover of transparent material substantially the~eover such that advertising ma~erial and/or p~inted material placed on said hand rail may be seen throu~h said cover.
~ ccording to another ~spec~ o~ the presen~ invention there is disclosed a hand rail and a hand ~ail cove~, ~ai~ ~o~er ~ing adapted to be locatea over ,a~d hand rail to protect printin~ andJor printed ~ate~i~l on sai~ hand rail, and allow said printing to ~e visible.
The Cover ~an be formed in~egrally with the hand rail, and ~ means of pivoting may ~e provided. Alternatively the cover can be a e~e pi~Ce item which snaps i~to place ove~ the hand r~il.
~5 A two piece ~over can also be u~ilised, the botto~ half b~ing snapped into position over the hand r~il whilst the top ~3C~3S
half is pivotable to cover advertising and/or printed material placed o~ the exposed surface o~ ~he hottom half.
According to another aspect o~ the pres~n~ invention the~e is discl~sed ~ method of applyin~ ad~ertising m~terial or the like to a hand r~il, said method compricing the steps of:
locating a she~t material having said advertising material thereon, or inscribin~, paintin~, et~hing or ~ike process o~
said advertising material to said handrail;
and, applying a covering of transparent material over said advertising m~terial. r The cover ~an be in the form of ~ liquid substance which dries to ~orm a solidified coating. The Goating or ~over can protect the p~inted matter from vandalismr or its removal and sc~atching ~y normal operation of the hand rail.
Acco~ding to another aspect o~ th0 present inven~ion there is disclosed a hand rail having a recess provided therein fo~
the inser~ion o~ printi~g or printed material wh~reupon once said ma~erial has been inserted in said re~ess a ~over allowin~
~aid material to be seen is ~laced i~ said recess. Thi~ will ~O ~id in the preve~tion of scratching o such a cove~ if same is of clear pl~stic mate~ial or the like, A~ording ~o ~n~ther aspect of the present invention ~here is disclos~d a h~nd rail bein~ ~onstructed of clear material and bei~g adapted to receive informat1o~ displayed through said ~S clea~ m~terial.
In ano~her verslon of the present inv~ntion there is provided a hand rail havin~ a clear upper body with ~onventional materi~l therebe~eath, information being pla~ed .. ~ . ~ ~

.... . .

~3~)3~i between said clear material and said conventiona~ materlal.
A~ording t~ a further aspe~t of the present inv~ntio~
~here is disclosed the pr~vision of pockets in a hand rail of clear eonstruction or part c.lear construction whe,rein said poclcet~ are adapted to receive print~d material and a cov~r if ne~es~.ary.
Va.ious pr~.fer~ed embodiments of the invention will now be.
described with reference to the ~ccomp~nying drawin~s, in which:
Fig. 1 illustzates a cross-section o~ a first embodiment ~0 of the invention, sho~ing a hand rail of the conventional type ul~ ed on e~calator6 and ~any footways, having modification~
for receiving a~d ~ispla~in~ advertising mateL-ial.
Fig. 2 is ~n embodiment si~ila~ to that of Fig. l showing a recess;
Fi~. 3 illus~rates a third ~mbodlment of the present inventi4n wherein said hand rail ~ manuf~ctured solel~ fr3 cle~ material and the other hal of conventional hand rail material, Fig. 4 illustrates another ern~odiment of the pre~ent inve~ion wh~rein said hand r~il ls manuLa~red solely ~om cl~ terial and in~ludes pocket~ and the like; and Fi~ S ill~strates a further em~odiment of the pr~ent inven~ion.
A~ illustrated in Fig. l, the hand rail 1 in accordance ~5 ~ith the present inv~ntion comprises commonly ~sed shapes and arrangements in the lower portion 2 thereof ~or receipt ~y known escala~or or walkway componentry. The materi~ o ~he hand rail l i~ ~ rubber usually utilised ~or this purpose, 13q~'~0;~S
however the hand rail of the present invention diff~rs fro~
conven~ional hand rails in th~ a ~roove an~or recess 3 is provided i~ the upper portion ~hereo~ in which a c~rd constr~ted of plasti~ or the like and having p~inted matt~r 4 ther~n, is in inlaid in the lower por~ion 5 o~ the re~e~s 3.
Over the top of the printed material 4 an~ inside ~he recess 3 i6 provided a clear ma~erial ~ bein~ a cover to pro~e~t the ~dvertisement of printed m~terial 4. The hand rail 1 is then placed on an escalator or moviny walkway ~nd i so .0 desired, the adver~isemcn~.can be oriented so ~hat per~ons rea~in~ the ma~erial will not need to twist or orient them~elves in order to better view She printed m~tter. For this purpose the writinq can be placed ~t an an~1~ to the directio~ 4f ~otion so that op~imum vi~wing c~n be obtained.
15 If so desired, the recess 3 can be provided as a ~ont.inuous recess ov~r the whole length o~ a hand rail 1 or discr~te lengths of recesses 3 and cov~s or fillers ~ can be inserted at v2rioUs intervals alon~ the leng~h o~ the ~ail l.
If ~ continuous recess 3 is utilised ~hen th~ cover 5 would ~est ~e ~onstructed of ma~erial which is fle~i~le, and can ~e ~u~ and fusa~le. Th~ ~e~son ~or ~his is that main~enance of hand rail~ has to be carried ou~ whe~ ~and r~ils stretch. This operation includes removal of ~h~ hand rail 1, cuttin~ and removal of a portion o th~ hand rail to remove ~5 slack, ~n~ then r~joining the ends o~ th~ hand rail 1. In ~ro~idin~ a ~lexible fusable ~over, the advertisinq recess can ~lso have said maintenan~e opera~ion per~o~med at the same time without ~he need for extra work to be involved. This op~ ion 13a~4~35;
is necessary as the belts 1 ten~ ~o stret~h during th~ life o~
the es~alator or hand rail 1 and thus need to be short~ned in order for effective operation. I discrete lensths or poclcets are utilised then the maintenan~ engine~rs c~n ~ut the ha~d rail at a portion be~weel- ~he dlsc~ete lenyths o~ po~kHts so that the s~me eff~ct ~an he achieved.
Illuætr~e~ in Fig. ~ is another embodiment of the present invention~ si~ilar to that of Fig. 1, howeve~ a recess between the upp~r su~face level 6 o~ the hand rail 1 and the upper ~0 sur~ le~el 7 of the cove~ 6 is provided. ~y provi~ion o~
this feature, the usual scratching of the upper surface 7 which occurs o~ escalators ~nd moving walkway~ is obviated and ther~fo~e protection o~ the viewing s~rface 7 of the co~r 6 can be ~chieved.
In Fig. 3, 's illustrated another e~bodimen~ of ~he pres~nt i~vention which illustrate~ the hand rail 1 havin~ a cl~ar upper ~ody ~ and a lower body ~ constructed o~ a~y suitable materi~ls. During the manufactu~ing process of ~uch a ha~d ~ail 1, a plastic car~ or th~ like of type-printed material ~ay be ~nserted h~twesn said clear upper bo~y ~ ~nd ~he lower body ~ Th~ upper and lower part~ B a~d ~, ~espec~ively, m~y ~han be moulded or bcnde~ to~ethe~. This a~vertlsing is not changeable, ~nless the ~elt is ~e~oved ccmpletely a~d a new belt inserted or unless the ~ond bctween ~5 the upper and lo~er portions may ~e ~used apart. Plastic advertising ~aterial in the for~ of a card or the like, oth~r material need not be inserted ~etween the plastic 8 and conv~ntional rubber ~. If it is desired either of the ~urfaces ~3~4~3~
which meet a' the lin~ 10 ca~ be p~int~d or moulded with an appropriate message or advertisement.
In Fig. 4 a further embodiment of A h~nd ~ail 1 utilising ~i completely ~le~r pla~tic body with a side pocket 11 provided th~r&in, i~ illustr~ted in an isometric vie~. The pocket '1 may be either o discr~te length along the length of ~he han~
rail 1, or Can be of a Gontinuous leng~h if so d~ired. If o~
contin~o~ n~th, then a msthod o~ securing the upper flap porti~n 12 to the lower portion 13 would be required. lf a O dis~rete pocket 11 is tl~ilised, ~hen after insertion of the advertisem~nt into the rec~ss 14 r,as be~ enacted, a plu~ or other membeL lS is prefera~ly inser~ed into the rem~ining por~ion o~ ~he pocket 11 for the purpos~ of preventing a~cess to the adv~r~isement 14. If so desired only ~he ~iewing card associated with the prin~ed m~t~ri~l ne~ be o~ a ~ee-through or cl~ subs~ance, or vice versa~
Illustrated in Fi~. ~ is a ~ur.ther emboaiment of the present invention which comprises a st~ndard hand rai~ 1 upon which is pla~ed ~rinted matt~r 5 either dir~ctl~, in the ~orm 20 Qf printing, paintin~, etchin~, moulding and the like, or indire~tly in the ~orm o~ a card, printed sheet, prin~d plasti~, stlclcers and the like~
Over this printing is located a subst~ntial~y ~olid cover 16 which is joined ~o hand rail 1 at 17. This join allow~ the co~e~ 1~ to he pivot~d which allo~s access to printing S. At the other side of ~o~er 1~ is located a sprin~ or biased portion 1~ whi~h then snaps over the ~ottom portion 19 of the hand rail 1. Portion 18 is move.~ agains~ a bias in direction 1~5E

~!L3~03~i of arr~ws 20.
The cover 1~ can also he in the orm o~ ~ two piece construction. ~he first piece ~ei~g ~ cover havin~ two sides simil.ar to the portion 18 whi~h is biased. A second piece ~ein~ pivotally attached to the first piece in a simil~r manner as the ~over 16 is connected to hand rail 1 at 17, ~n this ver~io~, the ~rintin~ 5 is plac~.~ on the first pieGe and not on the hand rail per se. This is psrticulariy suita~le where the hand rail is not in good c3ndltion.
0 Another cover in the ~orm of the first pie~e alone (mentione~ in the previous par~graph) can be utilised to cover ~he printing 5 whe~ placed directly on hand rail 1.
A~othe~ em~odiment for which there is ~o illustration ~omp~i~es the placin~ of printin~ or the like in wh~t e~er form, onto the hand rail 1, over this is applied a coating ln the ~orm of ~ hardena~le li~uid which is not opaque when it dries. This Ccatin~, such as plasticised PVC or th~ like c~n pro~ec~ the printing from scr~tchin~, removal by vandals and dama~e and~or removal from operation uf the h~nd rail mechanism. Suit~ble plas~icised PVC coatin~ or -~he like should be 1exi~1e to allow the hand ~ail ~o traval around itS
pa~h, th~y should be heat resistant such that a fire hazard i5 obvi~ted, and pre~erably, they sho~ld result in a shiny, smooth, and suit~ble slipper~ surace to ensure correct ope~tlon of the hand rail.
In another em~odiment o the present invention there is means ~or ayplying ~he printed material ~y a he~t stampin~
method, This can be ei~her heat stamped to the embodlmen~s ~IL3(~4~35i previously des~ribed vr onto e~isting hand rails.
A further embo~iment allows for ~he dir~cting o~ ~ light from beneath the hand r~il, to pass ~hrou~h an advertisement or printeA m~teri~l al~ea~y in the hand rail. ~ built in lightsource in the hand rail is one means of performin~ same.
~ reflective type advertisement or p~inted ~tter çan be utili~d, with li~ht to energise same ~oming ~rom abhve.
Further, lumineæc~nt pri~tin~ can hs utilised ~o that a light ~ource will energise the luminescent printing underneath 0 the ma~hin~ry, so that when ~he printin~ is u~ed by a pa~sen~er it will ~glow in the dark".
If so desired, the ambodiments of the present invention, e~cept where mentioned, can be applied to hand rails havin~ a speci~lly raised ~ection to accom~odate such p~inting. This may require the re-designin~ of the machin~ry in use for operating the h~nd rail in orde~ to prevent damaga or revol~ing of the printing or pri~ted area.
The d~wings which accompan~ this specification do not necessary represent the e~act shape, configuLaticn or croxs ~0 secti3n of a hand rail, it will be readily understood fro~l the ~p~ci~iGation and drawings the means by which this invention can be utilised and put into e~ect re~ardle s of the shape ~nd con~igura~ion o the hand rail.
The foregoing describes some embodiments o the present inventio~, and some of these embodiments can be incorporated in other embodiments by excluding some o~ those ~eatures. For .~a~ple in the dr~in~s o~ Figs. 3 and 4 a recess can be provided ovçr 'he area which dis~lays the advertisement to ~L3~35 prevent scratching of the viewinq surface.
~ hile particular embodiments of this irlventi~n have been descrihed, it will be e~ nt to those skille~ in the art tha~
the present irlvention may he e~odied in ether s~eci~ic forms without departin~ ~rom the essenti~l characteris~ics there~.
~he present embo~iments ~nd e~amples ar~ therefore to be considered in all resp~cts as illustrativ~ ~nd not restri~tive, the scope o~ the invention bein~ indicate~ by the appended claims rather than ~y the foregoin~ ~escription, ~nd all 0 ~hange~ ~hich come within ~he meaning an~ r~nge o~ e~uival0ncy o~ the claims are therefore inten~ed t~ ~e embrace~ therein.

Claims

1. A hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like having a cover of transparent material substantially thereover such that advertising material and/or printed material placed on said hand rail may be seen through said cover.

2. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hand rail is provided with at least one cutout portion extending about the longitudinal axis thereof, such that, in each of said cutout portions, a card or the like inscribed with said advertising and/or printed material may be positioned, and said cover is then provided over said card, wherein said cover is adapted to be firmly but removably retained within said cutout portion.

3. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cover of transparent material is constructed as the upper portion of said hand rail.

4. A hand rail as claimed in claim 3, wherein said upper cover portion of said hand rail is fused or glued to a lower portion of said hand rail after placement of said advertising material therebetween.

5. A hand rail as claimed in claim 3 wherein a pocket is provided in one side of said hand rail between said upper portion and a lower portion thereof, into which said advertising material may be placed.

6. A hand rail as claimed in claim 5, wherein after insertion of said advertising material within said pocket, a plug or the like is inserted therein.

7. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is comprised of, a window portion fixedly or detachably secured along one edge thereof to said hand rail, and a spring or biased portion adapted to be retained over the other side of said hand rail.

8. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is comprised of a window portion with spring or biased edge portions provided on either side thereof, wherein, after placement of said advertising material on said hand rail, said cover is adapted to be retained over said hand rail by said spring or biased portions engaging over the edges thereof.

9. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover of transparent material is a coating of hardenable liquid.

10. A hand rail as claimed in claim 9, wherein said coating is plasticised PVC or the like.

11. A hand rail as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a light source is provided within said hand rail to illuminate said advertising material.

12. A hand rail as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said advertising material is wholly or partially comprised of luminescent printing.

13. A method of applying material or the like to the hand rail as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of:
locating a sheet material having said advertising material thereon on an upper part of said hand rail, or applying said advertising directly to said hand rail; and, applying a covering of transparent material over said advertising material.

14. A method of applying advertising material or the like to the hand rail of a moving walkway, escalator or the like having a cover of transparent material substantially thereover such that the advertising material applied to the hand rail may be seen through the cover, comprising the steps of:
locating a sheet material having the advertising material thereon on an upper part of said hand rail, or applying the advertising material directly to the hand rail; and, applying a covering of transparent material over the advertising material.

15. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that a recess is provided between the upper surface of said hand rail and the upper surface of said cover, thereby to minimize scratching of said cover upper surface.

16. A hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like, characterised in that:
the upper portion of said hand rail has at least one cutout portion extending from the upper surface of the hand rail about the longitudinal axis thereof, the upper longitudinal edges of said cutout portion having a pair of lips along the openings of said cutout portion directed inwardly towards the center of said hand rail;
a card or the like, inscribed with advertising and/or printed material, is positioned over the lower surface of said cutout portion; and, a cover of transparent material is provided over said card or the like, said cover being correspondingly shaped and adapted to be firmly but optionally removably retained within said cutout portion by said inwardly directed lips.

17. A hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like characterised in that:
said hand rail is molded such that an upper portion is provided with at least one pocket extending from a first side of said hand rail longitudinally therethrough substantially coplanar to an upper surface of said hand rail, said at least one pocket being adapted to receive a card or the like inscribed with advertising material and/or printed material or the like within said at least one pocket;
a plug or the like is firmly but optionally removably inserted in said at least one pocket in abutting relationship with said first side of said hand rail;
wherein at least said upper portion of said hand rail above said card or the like is constructed of transparent material.

18. A hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like characterised in that an upper portion of said hand rail is provided with at least one window member hinged along a first edge thereof to a first longitudinal side of said hand rail and removably retained along a second edge thereof by a spring or biased portion adapted to be retained over a second longitudinal side of said hand rail, such that a card or the like inscribed with advertising material and/or printed matter is positionable between said window member and the remaining portion of said hand rail.

19. A hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like, characterised in that an upper portion of said hand rail is adapted to receive a window member longitudinally thereover, said window member having spring ox biased edges longitudinally therealong adapted to be removably received over respective sides of said hand rail, such that a card or the like inscribed with advertising material and/or printed matter is positioned between said window member and the remaining portion of said hand rail.

20. A hand rail as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said cover and the advertising material and/or printed material are bendable along the longitudinal axis of said hand rail.

21. A hand rail for a moving walkway, escalator or the like with a non-linear travel path having a cover of transparent material substantially thereover such that advertising material and/or printed material placed on such hand rail may be seen through said cover, said cover and the advertising material and/or printed material being bendable along a longitudinal axis of said hand rail sufficiently to enable said cover and the advertising material and/or printed material to conform to the non-linear travel path of said hand rail, and a recess being provided between the upper surface of said hand rail and the upper surface of said cover sufficiently to minimize scratching of said cover upper surface during use of said moving walkway, escalator or the like.