Frame mounted unfurling apparatus

Abstract

A display roller is driven in bidirectional rotation to deploy a plurality of commercial sheets which are coiled around the roller. Each one of the sheets is fixed to an outer surface of the display roller with the sheets coiled about the display roller such that the distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart. A pressure contactor applies pressure in contact with the coiled sheets and is positioned on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet and may be further extended by counter rotation of the display roller.

1 . An unfurling apparatus comprising: a display roller driven in bidirectional rotation by a drive; a plurality of sheets, each one of the sheets having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of each of the sheets fixed to an outer surface of the display roller, the sheets coiled about the display roller such that the distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart; a pressure contactor in contact with the coiled sheets on the display roller; the pressure contactor positioned on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a shadow frame positioned adjacent to the unwrapped sheet, the frame providing a window positioned for viewing a central portion of the unwrapped sheet while the shadow frame obscures non-central portions of the unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a first light source positioned for illuminating a front surface of the unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a second light source positioned for illuminating a rear surface of the unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the second light source is positioned below the display roller.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of sheets are arranged in plural sets in side-by-side positions.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the display roller comprises plural independently driven rollers in side-by-side common rotational axis orientation whereby selected sheets may be displayed simultaneously and independently from each of the driven rollers.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a weighting rod affixed to the distal end of each of the sheets.  
   
   
       9 . A method of unfurling comprising the steps of: driving a display roller in bidirectional rotation; attaching proximal ends of a plurality of sheets to the roller and coiling the sheets around the roller such that distal ends of the sheets are spaced apart; applying pressure to the coiled sheets on the display roller at a position on the coiled sheets such that as the display roller rotates, each distal end of each one of the sheets that passes the pressure contactor in turn, is free to partially unwrap the corresponding sheet, so as to fall from the display roller thereby assuming a vertical deployment as an unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of placing a shadow frame adjacent to the unwrapped sheet to obscure non-central portions of the unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of illuminating a front surface of the unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of illuminating a rear surface of the unwrapped sheet.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of placing an illumination source below the display roller.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of placing the plurality of sheets in plural sets in side-by-side positions on the display roller.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of separating the display roller into plural independently driven rollers in side-by-side common rotational axis orientation.  
   
   
       16 . A method of unfurling sheets comprising the steps of: rotating a display roller having a plurality of the sheets coiled therearound in a first rotational sense, until all of the sheets are rolled up onto the display roller; further rotating the display roller in the first rotational sense until a distal end of a selected one of the sheets has moved free of a pressure contactor thereby allowing the selected one of the sheets to fall into a vertical attitude depending from the display roller; and rotating the display roller in opposition to the first rotational sense until the selected one of the sheets is fully unfurled from the display roller.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of placing a frame adjacent to the selected one of the sheets to conceal non-central portions thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of illuminating the selected one of the sheets on a front surface thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of illuminating the selected one of the sheets on a rear surface thereof.