Illuminated sign

• US 5,237,766 A
• Filed: 04/29/1991
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas A Schutz Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: THOS A Schutz & Company
• Inventors: Mikolay, Ray M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREEN, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/693,333
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 40/454, 40/489, 40/541-545, 40/552, 40/558, 40/563, 40/564, 40/568-570, 40/575, 40/576, 40/579, 40/580
• US Class Current: 40/564
• 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

Abstract

An illuminated sign consisting of: a message carrying wall having a front display side and a rear side, with the message carrying wall having a portion that is opaque to block light transmission therethrough from a source on the rear side of the message carrying wall and a transparent and/or translucent portion that allows light transmission therethrough from a source at the rear side of the message carrying wall to produce an illuminated message that is visually detectable at the front side of the message carrying wall; and a lenticular structure at the front of the message carrying wall for intercepting light transmitted from a source on the rear side of the message carrying wall through the transparent and/or translucent portion of the message carrying wall to diffuse the light in such a way as to give the appearance of a light source being at the front of the message carrying wall.

Claims

1. An illuminated sign comprising:

a message carrying wall having a front display side and a rear side;

said message carrying wall having a portion that is opaque to block light transmission therethrough from a source on the rear side of the message carrying wall,

said wall having a translucent portion that allows light transmission therethrough from a source on the rear side of the message carrying wall to produce an illuminated message that is visually detectable at the front side of the message carrying wall;

lenticular means at the front of the message carrying wall for intercepting light transmitted from a source on the rear side of the message carrying wall through the translucent portion of the message carrying wall to redirect the light in such a way as to give the appearance of a light source at the front of the message carrying wall,

said message carrying wall having a forwardly facing surface and a rearwardly facing surface,

said lenticular means comprising at least one raised element projecting forwardly from the forwardly facing surface of the message carrying wall,

said one raised element in cross section having a curved forward outer surface segment and a straight segment extending between the curved forward outer surface segment and the forwardly facing surface of the message carrying wall;

a light source;

a reflector having a forwardly facing reflecting surface; and

means for mounting the light source between the forwardly facing reflecting surface and lenticular means to deflect light from the light source forwardly to and through the lenticular means;

said rearwardly facing surface of the message carrying wall being directly exposed to the light source and having a light reflective coating thereon to direct light from the light source impinging on the rearwardly facing surface back towards the reflector.

2. The illuminated sign according to claim 1 wherein the message carrying wall comprises first and second panels, said first panel comprising one piece defining the lenticular means which lenticular means comprises a plurality of spaced, raised elements and the second panel being opaque and defining cutouts for the lenticular means which project forwardly through the cutouts with the first and second panels in operative relationship, said second panel being defined as one piece that extends continuously over the entire extent of the message carrying wall.

3. The illuminated sign according to claim 2 wherein the first panel is tinted with at least one color so that light projecting forwardly through the translucent portion of the message carrying wall has said one color.

4. The illuminated sign according to claim 1 wherein the light source comprises at least one fluorescent tube.

5. The illuminated sign according to claim 1 wherein the lenticular means comprises a plurality of raised elements which cooperatively produce the message that is visually detectable at the front side of the message carrying wall, said plurality of raised elements being defined as one piece extending continuously over the entire extent of the message carrying wall.

6. The illuminated sign according to claim 5 wherein each raised element is elongate and in cross section taken transversely of its length has a generally solid U-shaped outer surface exposed at the front of the forwardly facing panel surface.

7. The illuminated sign according to claim 6 wherein the curved forward outer surface is defined by an arc of a circle having a first diameter and two spaced, straight segments being substantially tangent to the forwardmost surface segments.

8. The illuminated sign according to claim 7 wherein the forwardmost surface segment has an apex and the spacing between the surface segment apex and the forwardly facing panel surface is less than the first diameter.

9. The illuminated sign according to claim 7 wherein the first diameter is approximately equal to 3/8 inch and the distance between the surface segment apex and the forwardly facing panel surface is approximately equal to 1/4 inch.

10. An illuminated sign comprising:

a housing defining a component mounting space and having a front and rear;

a light source;

means for mounting the light source within the component mounting space;

a message carrying wall having a front display side and a rear side;

means for mounting the message carrying wall at the front of the housing,

said message carrying wall having a forwardly facing substantially flat surface and a translucent portion that allows light transmission forwardly therethrough from the light source to thereby produce a message that is visually detectable at the front side of the message carrying wall; and

lenticular means projecting forwardly of the forwardly facing surface on the message carrying wall for redirecting light from the light source to effect diffusion thereof at the front of the message carrying wall to give the appearance that the light source is adjacent to the forwardly facing surface of the message carrying wall,

said translucent portion of the message carrying wall comprising a panel that is integrally formed as one piece with the lenticular means,

said lenticular means being formed as a solid piece projecting forwardly of the forwardly facing surface of the message carrying wall,

said housing having top, bottom and side walls defining a reflector to direct light projected thereagainst from the light source forwardly through the lenticular means,

said top and bottom walls having a light and diverging towards the front of the illuminated sign,

said light source comprising a bulb having a length aligned with the length of the reflector and residing between the reflector and the message carrying wall.

11. The illuminated sign according to claim 10 wherein the lenticular means has a convex forward surface.

12. The illuminated sign according to claim 10 wherein the lenticular means is made from a clear acrylic material.

13. The illuminated sign according to claim 10 wherein the light source resides between the reflector and the message carrying wall and there is an air space between the reflector and the message carrying wall.

14. The illuminated sign according to claim 13 wherein the reflector has a plurality of elongate, concave, forwardly opening reflecting surfaces, there is a light source in front of each of the reflecting surfaces, and each light source comprises a fluorescent bulb having a length aligned lengthwise with one of the reflecting surfaces, each said bulb extending substantially the entire distance between the side walls of the housing.

15. The illuminated sign according to claim 13 wherein the reflector comprises two facing reflecting surfaces which converge from front to rear in the housing.

16. The illuminated sign according to claim 15 wherein at least one of the reflecting surfaces makes an angle of approximately 50°

with the plane of the forwardly facing surface on the message carrying wall.