Foldable Advertising Panel with Translucent Substrate

Solution Overview

Problem

Current advertising panels for automobiles are not lightweight, foldable, or rigid enough to display high-quality images effectively on windshields, and existing solutions fail to provide a flat, readable, and durable advertising surface that can withstand weather and time.

Innovation Solution

A portable and foldable advertising panel with a translucent substrate comprising a top sheet, a bottom sheet, and ribs, featuring a slit for folding and a light source for nighttime visibility, allowing for high-quality graphic display on the windshield while maintaining structural integrity and ease of use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If rigidly mounted panels and billboards are used for advertising, then the advertising image can be seen clearly by the target audience, but the panels are not lightweight, temporary, or foldable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage display qualityVSAvoidportability and foldability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The advertising panel is divided into multiple sections that can be folded relative to each other. The panel includes fold lines that allow it to be collapsed into a compact form for portability, while maintaining the ability to display a complete advertising image when deployed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The advertising panel uses a flexible yet rigidizing structure that combines a flexible base material with rigidizing elements. This allows the panel to be folded and transported easily while maintaining sufficient rigidity when deployed to display the advertising image clearly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If lightweight materials like paper or fabric are used for signage, then the sign becomes portable, but paper gets undesirable folds and creases over time degrading image quality, and fabric creates a non-flat surface rendering the image less readable

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidimage quality and flatness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The panel uses a flexible base material that can be folded and transported, but incorporates rigidizing elements that provide structural support to maintain flatness when deployed, preventing the image degradation seen in pure paper or fabric solutions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The advertising panel combines multiple materials with complementary properties: a flexible base material for portability, rigidizing elements for structural support and flatness, and a translucent layer for image display. This composite structure achieves both portability and image quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the advertising panel is made solid and flat for readability, then the image is more readable, but storing a solid panel the width of a vehicle's interior has proven to be impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage readabilityVSAvoidstorage convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The panel is designed with fold lines that divide it into sections that can be collapsed together for storage. When deployed, these sections form a flat, readable surface, but when not in use, they can be folded into a compact form that is easy to store in a vehicle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Temperature

If existing vehicular windshield curtains are used with limited advertising, then they can inhibit heat transfer, but consumers have difficulty reading the full scope of the advertising image due to the surface not having a flat appearance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transfer inhibitionVSAvoidadvertising image readability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The advertising panel uses a flexible yet rigidizing structure that combines a flexible base material with rigidizing elements. This allows the panel to be folded and transported easily while maintaining sufficient rigidity when deployed to display the advertising image clearly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The advertising panel is divided into multiple sections that can be folded relative to each other. The panel includes fold lines that allow it to be collapsed into a compact form for portability, while maintaining the ability to display a complete advertising image when deployed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a lightweight, rigid, and durable advertising panel that maintains image quality over time, is readable both day and night, and can be easily mounted on vehicle windshields, addressing the need for a practical and effective advertising solution for automotive use.

Implementation Method 1

The advertising panel also includes a light source, where the light source illuminates the bottom sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission and transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentUS9390636B2Advertising panel

Publication Date: 2016.07.12 SIEGEL ALAN

AI summary

An advertising panel is disclosed which is a lightweight, portable, and foldable substrate which accepts and retains high quality graphics and photographic advertising images. The advertising panel can be used for providing advertising on the inner surface of the windshield of a vehicle. The advertising panel includes a substrate with an advertising image printed on the substrate and a light source. The light source illuminates the advertising panel from behind. A viewer exterior to the vehicle is able to see the advertising image at night because a portion of the light emitted from the light source is transmitted through both the advertising panel substrate and the advertising image.