Incandescent bar display module

• US 4,177,502 A
• Filed: 07/19/1977
• Issued: 12/04/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Hiscock, Benjamin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Verlin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/817,457
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 362/236, 362/237, 362/238, 362/240, 362/294, 362/23, 362/27, 362/29, 362/31, 362/85, 362/225, 362/227, 362/218, 362/345, 362/346, 362/800, 362/806, 362/812, 40/450, 40/451, 40/452, 40/453
• US Class Current: 362/218
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/405 using a plurality of active, i.e. light emitting, e.g. electro-luminescent elements, i.e. bar graphs

Abstract

A bar-type display utilizing incandescent lamps stacked in a linear array in a metallic lamp block preferably of aluminum shaped to form a parabolic reflector configuration along its length and a tongue and groove configuration for attachment to an insulating connector block. Fins are provided on each side of the block for heat dissipation and grooves are formed transversely of the block through the parabolic reflector configuration at intervals into which barrier plates are inserted to sectionalize the block into separate reflectors for each lamp. To disperse the radiated and reflected light, a plastic diffuser is placed across the top of the reflector configuration, which may be colored to color the transmitted light, and to provide anti-reflective qualities for non-glare viewing.

The insulator connecting block is molded to the lamp block and the lamp pins are arranged so that alternate lamps may be powered by separate power supplies for redundancy purposes.

Claims

1. A display comprising a plurality of lighted segments aligned to form an incandescent bar display comprising,

a lamp block having a base portion provided with an aligned row of apertures, said base portion merging into concave sidewalls to form parabolic reflectors;

a plurality of incandescent lamps located in said aligned row of apertures

means defining barrier plates mounted in a series of cuts arranged throughout the length of said block to sectionalize the block into separate reflectors for each lamp,

cooling fins formed on outside of said lamp block to dissipate the heat generated by said incandescent lamps,

an insulating connector block formed on the side of said block opposite from said parabolic reflectors; and

means for connecting said lamps to a suitable source of power.

2. The incandescent bar display claimed in claim 1, further including a diffuser plate located across the parabolic reflectors to disperse the radiated and reflected light from said lamps and reflector.

3. The display as claimed in claim 2 wherein said diffuser plate is colored to color the transmitted light.

4. The display as claimed in claim 3 wherein the said connector block is made integral with said lamp block and including a plurality of pins for connecting said incandescent lamps to said source of power.

5. The display claimed in claim 4, wherein said lamp block is provided with a tongue and groove configuration which serves to connect the insulating connector block thereto.

6. The display as claimed in claim 5 wherein the pins are arranged so as to connect alternate incandescent lamps to separate power sources.

7. The display claimed in claim 1, wherein said base portion further defines a rectangular groove extending the length of said lamp block.