DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING AND ILLUMINATING AN IMAGE

• US 20120320622A1
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightheaded Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lightheaded Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Sanders, Gerald R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/602
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/0622 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2001/0688 where the picture is inserted through a slit in one of the frame members
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/30 Lighting for domestic or personal use
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0409 Arrangements for homogeneous illumination of the display surface, e.g. using a layer having a non-uniform transparency arrangements of reflectors G09F13/14
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0454 Slidable panels or parts
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/049 Edge illuminated signs, boards or panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00

Abstract

Some embodiments may include a device for displaying and illuminating images. The device may include a housing including an interior portion. An opening in the housing may provide access to the interior portion. A viewing aperture may be formed in the housing. The device may include a light guide having a light source. The light guide may be removably received within the housing via the opening. The device may include a graphic medium with an image printed thereon. The graphic medium may be removeably received within the housing via the opening and guided via a guide surface disposed on a portion of the light guide. The graphic medium may be guided via the guide surface and positioned with respect to the light guide such that at least a portion of the image is viewable through the aperture and at least partially illuminated via light originating from the light source.

Claims

1. A device suitable for displaying and illuminating images, the device comprising:

a housing comprising an interior portion;

an opening providing access to the interior portion;

a viewing aperture formed in the housing;

a light guide comprising a light source, the light guide configured to be removably received within the housing via the opening; and

an image imprinted on a graphic medium, the graphic medium is configured to be removeably received within the housing via the opening; and

a guide surface disposed on a portion of the light guide, the guide surface configured to guide the graphic medium to a position wherein at least a portion of the image is viewable through the viewing aperture and at least a portion of the image is at least partially illuminated via light originating from the light source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing forms a portion of an article of furniture.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the portion of the article of furniture comprises a portion of a headboard for a bed.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover configured to be removably received within the housing via the opening and in a manner to substantially cover the image imprinted on the graphic medium.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a light guide panel configured to distribute the light originating from the light source to illuminate the at least a portion of the image.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the light guide panel comprises an edge configured to receive light from the light source, wherein the light guide panel is configured to distribute light entering the edge to a face of the light guide panel.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the light guide is configured to provide a space between the light guide panel and the graphic medium.

8. The device of claim 5, further comprising one or more retaining mechanisms configured to removably receive at least one of the graphic medium and the light guide panel.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting devices disposed along a length of the light guide.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a control device configured to allow manipulation of one or more functions of the light source.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the control device further comprises a dimmer function which allows the intensity of the light emitted by the light source to be changed to a desired level.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to change the intensity of the light a desired level over a predetermined period of time.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to decrease the intensity of the light from a desired level to off over a predetermined period of time.

14. An article of furniture, comprising:

a housing having an interior portion accessible via an opening formed along a portion of the housing;

an image imprinted on a graphic medium, the graphic medium configured to be received within the housing via the opening and in a manner such that at least a portion of the image is viewable through a viewing aperture formed in the housing;

a light guide having a plurality of light emitting devices; and

a light guide panel configured to direct light emitted from the plurality of light emitting devices onto the image;

wherein the light guide is configured to be removeably received within the housing via the opening; and

a guide surface provided on the light guide, the guide surface oriented to guide the graphic medium within the housing and retain the graphic medium in a predetermined position and orientation within the housing, the guide surface being further configured to provide a space between at least a portion of the graphic medium and the light guide panel.

15. The article of furniture of claim 14, wherein the housing forms a portion of a headboard for a bed.

16. The article of furniture of claim 14, further comprising a dimmer control mechanism that allows the intensity of the illumination to the image to be changed to a desired level.

17. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein the dimmer control mechanism is operable such that the intensity of the illumination is decreased from a desired level to off over a predetermined period of time.

18. The article of furniture of claim 14 further comprising a protective cover configured to be received within the housing via the opening and in a manner to substantially cover the image imprinted on the graphic medium.

19. A light guiding device comprising:

a substantially planar light guide panel;

a light guide including a light source positioned so as to direct light to the light guide panel for illumination of an image, the light guide further including a guiding structure comprising a guide surface configured to retain the light guide panel at a position that is at least partially offset from the image.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the guiding structure further comprises a retention channel configured to receive and retain an edge of the light guide panel, the edge receiving light from the light source.