Snap-in liquid crystal display backlight assembly

• US 5,134,548 A
• Filed: 09/14/1990
• Issued: 07/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Turner, Winfield F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/583,012
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362/29, 362/320, 362/346, 362/360, 362/370, 362/226, 362/16, 362/17, 362/18, 362/362, 362/364, 350/345, 350/48, 350/49, 350/50
• US Class Current: 362/29
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/222 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/18 with provision for folding or collapsing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133605 including specially adapted reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133628 with cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/465 Snap -fit

Abstract

A backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display (LCD) supported on a printed circuit board with the pin sockets on either side of an opening in the printed circuit board so that the LCD straddles the opening. The assembly includes a snap-in reflector having a back wall and a plurality of forwardly extending peripheral walls which can be compressed to permit the backlight reflector to be inserted into the opening and released to hold it in position. A lamp in the backlight assembly shines light through the opening and through the LCD. The reflector has an inner surface that is highly reflective and non-specular, so that ambient light rays entering the front of the opening are captured and reflected forwardly back through the liquid crystal display.

Claims

1. An indicia display comprising:

a printed circuit board having front and rear sides with an opening in said board,

a liquid crystal display mounted on and supported by the front side of said board aligned with said opening,

a backlight assembly including a light source and a reflector, said reflector being secured in said opening and supported by said board so that light from said light source is directed through said opening and said liquid crystal display to display indicia to viewers.

2. An indicia display as claimed in claim 1 wherein an inner surface of said reflector is so treated as to capture ambient light rays entering the front side of said openings and reflecting then through said liquid crystal display.

3. A fuel dispenser indicia display in a fuel dispenser housing comprising:

a printed circuit board supported by said housing and having front and rear sides and an opening in said board;

a liquid crystal display mounted on and supported by the front side of said board and aligned with said opening; and

a backlight assembly including a light source and a reflector, said reflector being secured in said opening and supported by said board so that light from said light source is directed through said opening and said liquid crystal display indicia to users of the fuel dispenser.

4. An indicia display as claimed in claim 3 wherein an inner surface of said reflector is so treated as to capture ambient light rays entering the front side of said opening and reflecting them through said liquid crystal display.

5. A fuel dispenser indicia display in a fuel dispenser housing comprising:

a printed circuit board supported by said housing and having front and rear sides and an opening in said board;

a liquid crystal display on the front side of said board aligned with said opening; and

a backlight assembly including a light source and a reflector, said reflector being secured in said opening so that light from said light source is directed through said opening and said liquid crystal display to display indicia to users of the fuel dispenser; and

wherein said reflector has a back wall spaced from said opening and upper, lower and side walls which are inclined outwardly from said back wall to said opening.

6. An indicia display as claimed in claim 5 where in said upper, lower and side walls are not attached to one another but are integral with said back wall.

7. An indicia display as claimed in claim 6 wherein said reflector is compressively secured in said opening by outwardly urging forces created by said upper and lower walls.

8. An indicia display as claimed in claim 7 wherein said upper and lower walls have dog ears which project outwardly from said opening in said board on the front side of the board.

9. An indicia display as claimed in claim 5 wherein said back wall is provided with an aperture to receive said light source and said light source comprises an incandescent lamp secured on a mounting means supported on said back wall.

10. An indicia display as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mounting means comprises a rear board supported on said back wall by a fastener.

11. An indicia display as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mounting means comprises a rear board supported on said back wall by a tab projecting from said back wall through a hole in said rear board.

12. A fuel dispenser indicia display in a fuel dispenser housing comprising:

a board supported by said housing and having front and rear sides and an opening in said board;

a liquid crystal display on the front side of said board aligned with said opening;

a backlight assembly including a light source and a reflector, said reflector being secured in said opening so that light from said light source is directed through said opening and said liquid crystal display to display indicia to users of the fuel dispenser; and

wherein said board has a pin socket on its front side, said liquid crystal display is supported by said pin socket and an optical filter is positioned between said board and said liquid crystal display.

13. An indicia display comprising:

a printed circuit board having front and rear sides with an opening in said board,

a liquid crystal display on the front side of said board aligned with said opening,

a backlight assembly including a light source and a reflector, said reflector being secured in said opening and said reflector having a back wall spaced from said opening and upper, lower and side walls which are inclined outwardly from said back wall to said opening, so that light from said light source is directed through said opening and said liquid crystal display to display indicia to viewers.

14. An indicia display as claimed in claim 13 where in said upper, lower and side walls are not attached to one another but are integral with said back wall.

15. An indicia display as claimed in claim 14 wherein said reflector is compressively secured in said opening by outwardly urging forces created by said upper and lower walls.

16. An indicia display as claimed in claim 15 wherein said upper and lower walls have dog ears which project outwardly from said opening in said board on the front side of the board.

17. An indicia display as claimed in claim 13 wherein said back wall is provided with an aperture to receive said light source and said light source is secured on a mounting means supported on said back wall.

18. An indicia display as claimed in claim 17 wherein said mounting means comprises a rear board supported on said back wall by a rivet.

19. An indicia display as claimed in claim 17 wherein said mounting means comprises a rear board supported on said back wall by a tab projecting from said back wall through a hole in said rear board.

20. An indicia display comprising:

a board having front and rear sides with an opening in said board, said board having a pin socket on its front side,

a liquid crystal display supported on the front side of said board by said pin socket aligned with said opening, an optical filter positioned between said board and said liquid crystal display, and a backlight assembly including alight source and a reflector, said reflector being secured in said opening so that light from said light source is directed through said opening and said liquid crystal display to display indicia to viewers.

21. A method of installing a backlight to a liquid crystal display mounted on a printed circuit board comprising the steps of:

providing the printed circuit board with an opening,

mounting the liquid crystal display in alignment with the opening,

providing a backlight having a lamp secured to a compressible reflector,

compressing the reflector so that a portion of the reflector which is normally larger than the opening is made smaller than the opening;

inserting the portion of the reflector into the opening, and

releasing the compression on the reflector so that the portion enlarges and engages the opening in the printed circuit board.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said backlight providing step includes providing the reflector with notches and said inserting step includes locating the notches adjacent the opening in the board.

23. A snap-in backlight reflector for a liquid crystal display comprising a back wall and a plurality of peripheral walls extending outwardly from said back wall to an open end, said peripheral walls including opposed stationary walls notched adjacent said open end and opposed deflectable walls having dog ears adjacent said open end.

24. A reflector as claimed in claim 23 wherein said walls are formed of a unitary sheet material bent to form said back wall and a plurality of peripheral walls.

25. A reflector as claimed in claim 23 wherein there are two of said stationary walls and two of said deflectable walls, said stationary walls having side edges substantially parallel with said deflectable walls, and said deflectable walls may be deflected inwardly of said side edges and said stationary walls.

26. A reflector as claimed in claim 23 wherein two of said peripheral walls are upper and lower walls and said upper and lower walls are provided with louvered openings.