TRANSPARENT ELECTRONIC ILLUMINATED DISPLAY

• US 20040250457A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walter Strein
• Original Assignee: Walter Strein
• Inventors: Strein, Walter, Yun, Martin L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/547
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/042 the advertising matter being fixed on the roof of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/305 being the ends of optical fibres G09F9/302 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an illuminated electronic display which in one preferred form employs LED'"'"'s to form characters in a message that is desired to be displayed to an intended viewer. A display of the invention is translucent, and is thus suitable for placement in locations which precluded locating illuminated electronic displays of the prior art in those same locations by virtue of the opaqueness of the displays of the prior art. A display means according to the invention may be placed in the rear window of an automobile, without adversely impacting the drivability of the vehicle owing to the translucency of the display. Other window locations are suitable for employment of a device according to the invention as well.

Claims

1. ) A transparent illuminated display device suitable for mounting in windows and other locations which comprises:

a) a base portion having a bottom surface, a top portion, and a hollow interior portion;

b) a light source support having a plurality of light sources disposed thereon;

c) a substantially-planar fiberoptic guide having a plurality of holes disposed through its surface;

d) a substantially-planar, transparent display array having a plurality of holes disposed through its surface, said substantially-planar display array being attached to said base portion at the top portion of said base portion, such that said substantially planar display array is disposed at an angle of between 30 and 85 degrees with respect to the horizontal when said base portion of said transparent illuminated display is disposed on a horizontal surface; and

e) a plurality of fiberoptic strands, wherein each fiberoptic strand has a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the fiberoptic strands are disposed in sufficient proximity to one of said light sources disposed on said light source support to enable light emitted from the light source to enter the fiberoptic strands, and wherein said second end portion of each of said fiberoptic strands is disposed within one of the holes in said display array, said fiberoptic strands passing through one of said holes disposed through said fiberoptic guide.

2. ) A device according to claim 1 wherein said display array comprises a front surface and a rear surface, and wherein said fiberoptic strands enter said holes on said display array from the rear surface.

3. ) A device according to claim 2 wherein the second end portion of said fiberoptic strands is flush with said front surface.

4. ) A device according to claim 2 wherein the second end portion of said fiberoptic strands is recessed with respect to said front surface.

5. ) A device according to claim 2 wherein the second end portion of said fiberoptic strands protrudes outward from said front surface.

6. ) A device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent display array comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

polymethylmethacrylate resins, polyethylethacrylate resins, polycarbonate resins, polyacrylate resins, and glass.

7. ) A device according to claim 1 further comprising a lens disposed at said second end portion of said fiberoptic strands.

8. ) A device according to claim 7 wherein said lens is in contact with said display array.

9. ) A device according to claim 7 wherein said lens is affixed to said display array by means of an adhesive.

10. ) A device according to claim 1 wherein said display array is transparent to the extent that it absorbs less than 5.0% of visible light passing through a one centimeter length of said display array.

11. ) A device according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of light sources comprise light emitting diodes.

12. ) An automobile, including a device according to claim 11 disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of:

its rear window and its roof, wherein at least one of said plurality of light emitting diodes is in effective electrical contact with the electrical system of said automobile.

13. ) A device according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of light sources comprise light emitting diodes and wherein said light emitting diodes are arranged in a rectangular array.

14. ) A device according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of holes disposed through the surface of said transparent display array are arranged in a rectangular array.

15. ) A device according to claim 13 wherein said plurality of holes disposed through the surface of said transparent display array are arranged in a rectangular array.

16. ) A device according to claim 11 wherein said first portion of at least two of said fiberoptic strands are disposed in sufficient proximity to a single light source so that light from said single light source is caused to enter into both of said at least two fiberoptic strands.

17. ) A transparent illuminated display device suitable for mounting in windows and other locations which comprises:

a) a base portion having a bottom surface, a top portion, and a hollow interior portion;

b) a light source support having a plurality of light sources disposed thereon, wherein said plurality of light sources comprise light emitting diodes, wherein said light emitting diodes are arranged in a rectangular array;

c) a substantially-planar fiberoptic guide having a plurality of holes disposed through its surface;

d) a substantially-planar, transparent display array having a plurality of holes disposed through its surface, wherein said holes through the surface of said transparent display are arranged in a rectangular array, said substantially-planar display array being attached to said base portion at the top portion of said base portion, such that said substantially planar display array is disposed at an angle of between 30 and 85 degrees with respect to the horizontal when said base portion of said transparent illuminated display is disposed on a horizontal surface, and wherein said transparent display array comprises a material selected from the group consisting of;

polymethylmethacrylate resins, polyethylethacrylate resins, polycarbonate resins, polyacrylate resins, and glass;

e) a plurality of fiberoptic strands, wherein each fiberoptic strand has a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the fiberoptic strands are disposed in sufficient proximity to one of said light sources disposed on said light source support to enable light emitted from the light source to enter the fiberoptic strands, and wherein said second end portion of each of said fiberoptic strands is disposed within one of the holes in said display array, said fiberoptic strands passing through one of said holes disposed through said fiberoptic guide; and

f) a lens disposed at said second end portion of said fiberoptic strands.

18. ) A process for displaying a character comprising the steps of:

i) transparent illuminated display device suitable for mounting in windows and other locations which comprises;

a) a base portion having a bottom surface, a top portion, and a hollow interior portion;

b) a light source support having a plurality of light sources disposed thereon;

c) a substantially-planar fiberoptic guide having a plurality of holes disposed through its surface;

d) a substantially-planar, transparent display array having a plurality of holes disposed through its surface, said substantially-planar display array being attached to said base portion at the top portion of said base portion, such that said substantially planar display array is disposed at an angle of between 30 and 85 degrees with respect to the horizontal when said base portion of said transparent illuminated display is disposed on a horizontal surface; and

e) a plurality of fiberoptic strands, wherein each fiberoptic strand has a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the fiberoptic strands are disposed in sufficient proximity to one of said light sources disposed on said light source support to enable light emitted from the light source to enter the fiberoptic strands, and wherein said second end portion of each of said fiberoptic strands is disposed within one of the holes in said display array, said fiberoptic strands passing through one of said holes disposed through said fiberoptic guide; and

ii) selectively energizing a plurality of said light sources in a pre-selected pattern so as to cause a first image to be displayed on said display array.

19. ) A process according to claim 18 wherein said first image comprises a character selected from the group consisting of:

numbers and letters.

20. ) A process according to claim 18 further comprising the step of:

iii) causing said image displayed on said display array to cease to exist; and

iv) selectively energizing a plurality of said light sources in a pre-selected pattern so as to cause a second image to be displayed on said display array, wherein said second image is different than said first image.