A display device

Abstract

A display device is disclosed. The display device comprises a backpiece, hingeably mounted by one or more hinge elements to a frontispiece, enabling the frontispiece to be pivoted along a first edge between a closed, display position and an open position allowing insertion/removal of a display article. The frontispiece has a border section and a transparent viewing section, the viewing section and border section secured together to form the frontispiece. Additionally, a catch releasably securing the frontispiece to the backpiece is included, the catch comprising an actuator movable within the backpiece and in a direction through the body of the backpiece, to respectively engage and release the frontispiece, whereby movement of the actuator causes a retaining element to raise and lower to respectively engage and disengage from a retaining element barrier mounted on the frontispiece, said engagement preventing pivoting of the frontispiece from the closed position.

1 . A display device, the display device comprising a backpiece, hingeably mounted by one or more hinge elements to a frontispiece, enabling the frontispiece to be pivoted along a first edge between a closed, display position and an open position allowing insertion/removal of a display article, the frontispiece having a border section and a transparent viewing section, the viewing section and border section secured together to form the frontispiece,
 a catch ( 61 ) releasably securing the frontispiece to the backpiece, the catch comprising an actuator movable within the backpiece and in a direction through the body of the backpiece, to respectively engage and release the frontispiece, movement of the actuator causing a retaining element to raise and lower to respectively engage and disengage from a retaining element barrier mounted on the frontispiece, the engagement preventing pivoting of the frontispiece from the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining element barrier has an arch piece defining a channel through which the retaining element can pass when engaging and disengaging. 
     
     
         3 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining element has a wedge shape, and is pivotably mounted along the wedge end, operation of the actuator moving the wedge about the pivot access engagement of the base of the wedge in the raised position with the arch piece preventing relative movement of the frontispiece and backpiece. 
     
     
         4 . The display device according  claim 1 , wherein the frontispiece includes one or more first support elements. 
     
     
         5 . The display device according to  claim 4 , wherein the or each first support element has an ‘L’ shaped cross-section, a hinge element being slidably engageable with the or each first support element to secure the or each hinge element in position. 
     
     
         6 . The display device according to  claim 5 , wherein a hinge element is removably slidably engageable. 
     
     
         7 . The display device according to  claim 4 , wherein a frontispiece includes further support elements having a different orientation with respect to the frontispiece to enable hinges to be attached and operate in a different orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The display device according to  claim 4 , wherein the or each hinge element has internally mutually sloping surfaces, extending along the or each hinge element, to guide the or each hinge element into the correct position and to retain the or each hinge element in push-fit engagement with a support element. 
     
     
         9 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the viewing section has walls to define a rectangular area to retain an article. 
     
     
         10 . The display device according to  claim 9 , wherein the viewing section includes channel elements on opposing walls, opposing channel elements cooperating to retain an elongate spacer, inclusion of a spacer reducing the area in which the article is retained. 
     
     
         11 . The display device according to  claim 10 , wherein a spacer includes ridges along one side to reduce the mass of a spacer required to produce a given reduction in area, the ridges holding the spacer in spaced relationship to a wall and preventing bowing of a spacer. 
     
     
         12 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein a hinge element includes a pivot mount engageable with a mounting element on the backpiece, which engagement enables the hinge and the frontispiece to pivot relative to the backpiece. 
     
     
         13 . The display device according to  claim 12 , wherein a stop element prevents pivoting beyond a pre-set angle. 
     
     
         14 . The display device according to  claim 12 , wherein a pivot mount has a cylindrical outer surface. 
     
     
         15 . The display device according to  claim 12 , wherein the mounting element comprises a cylindrical surface, of complimentary curvature to that of the pivot mount. 
     
     
         16 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the backpiece comprises one or more resilient supports having an article-engaging surface, to engage a surface of an article being displayed. 
     
     
         17 . The display device according to  claim 16 , wherein the article-engaging surface is covered with a material or sponge material. 
     
     
         18 . The display device according to  claim 17 , wherein a resilient support comprises an arm, fixed at one end to the backpiece and supporting on the free end of the arm, in spaced arrangement to the backpiece, a head, the head engaging an article being displayed. 
     
     
         19 . The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the catch engages the backpiece by a push-fit arrangement to enable the catch to be moved between different positions on the backpiece.