Sign system for conveying meaning between members of a community

Abstract

A sign system includes an accessory holder having a base element and being adapted to be worn by a user and a plurality of interchangeable accessories, each accessory being releasably attachable to the base element so that a visible surface of the accessory is visually juxtaposed with a visible surface of the base element, one part at least partially surrounding the other in the manner of a frame, where the frame and accessory together form a composite signifier in which the signified is decoded from indicia on the accessory by members of a community who share the sign system and wear the base element, for example as jewellery or attached to a garment.

1 . An accessory holder being adapted to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a base element having a raised display surface being indicative of a particular community the user belongs to,   a back surface and at least one continuous edge portion connecting said raised display surface to said back surface,   wherein said at least one edge portion comprises attaching means capable of releasably attaching a juxtaposed form fitting accessory and said attaching means comprise one or more indents.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base element with the raised display surface defines a frame, said at least one edge portion being located on an inner side of the frame and the frame being adapted to receive said juxtaposed form fitting accessory inside the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base element with the raised display surface defines a core, said at least one edge portion being located on the outer side of the core and the core being adapted to receive said juxtaposed form fitting accessory around said core. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one edge portion defines a shape having a rotational symmetry. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a predetermined and visibly recognizable orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base element is made of one or more substantially rigid materials. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising attachment means on the accessory holder wherein the base element is adapted for permanent attachment to a flexible substrate such that at least a portion of the substrate extends behind the accessory. 
     
     
         8 . An accessory releasably attachable to the accessory holder of  claim 1 , the accessory comprising:
 a display surface indicative of a particular message,   an accessory back surface and   at least one accessory edge portion comprising accessory attaching means complementary to the attaching means of at least one of the edge portions of the accessory holder,   wherein said accessory attaching means comprise one or more resiliently supported detents capable of snap-fittingly engaging to corresponding indents of the accessory holder.   
     
     
         9 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the at least one accessory edge portion defines a shape having a rotational symmetry. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising on its display surface a visible indicium or signifier having a rotational symmetry different from that of the accessory edge, no rotational symmetry or no geometrical symmetry. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the accessory is made of one or more substantially rigid materials. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one edge portion defines a regular polygon shape. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising a predetermined and visibly recognizable orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the base element is made of metal, plastic and/or wood. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one accessory edge portion defines a regular polygon shape. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory holder as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the base element is made of metal, plastic and/or wood. 
     
     
         17 . Method for conveying a message to members of a particular community, comprising:
 affixing an accessory holder to a body of the user, the accessory holder comprising a base element having a raised display surface indicative of a particular community to which the user belongs;   releasably attaching an accessory to said accessory holder, the accessory comprising a display surface indicative of a particular message; and   visibly exposing said holder and said accessory to other members of the community.   
     
     
         18 . Method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 providing said accessory holder comprising a shape having a rotational symmetry,   providing said accessory with a shape corresponding to the shape of the accessory holder, the accessory comprising on the display surface a visible indicium having a rotational symmetry different from that of the accessory holder, no rotational symmetry or no geometrical symmetry,   modulating said message by releasably attaching said accessory to the holder in one of a plurality of rotational positions,   wherein the rotational position of the accessory is indicative of a modulation of the visible indicium.   
     
     
         19 . Method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the accessory holder is provided with a regular polygon shape and wherein said message is modulated by varying the rotational position of the accessory within the accessory holder from an upright position to a non-upright position. 
     
     
         20 . Method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the accessory holder has an equilateral triangular shape and wherein the upright position places the visible indicium proximate to a first corner of the triangle and the non-upright position places the indicium proximate to a second corner of the triangle adjacent to the first corner.