Visual display lighting system having front and rear access

• US 5,882,105 A
• Filed: 08/16/1996
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C.E.I. Holding, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mikohn Gaming Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Barlow, James Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Carroll B.
• Application Number:
  US08/699,151
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 362/226, 362/240, 362/241, 362/249
• US Class Current: 362/646
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/28 Signs formed by filament-type lamp by selective lighting G09F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/226 External wall display means; Facade advertising means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

A visual display lighting system of a series of individual lighting modules. Each of the lighting modules having a printed circuit board containing drive circuitry and a plurality of light sources. Each module having a lighting panel which includes a reflector unit for each light source and a covering lens. A pair of retainer strips lock to the opposing ends of the lighting panel to hold the module in the display lighting system. The retainer strips quickly release from the opposing ends when the module is removed from the front of the visual display lighting system. In each module, the lighting panel has retainer clips for locking to the printed circuit board. When locked in place the board holds the plurality of light sources into the lighting panel for illumination of the sign. The printed circuit board can be quickly released from the lighting panel so that the board with the light sources can be removed from the rear of the visual display lighting system. In this event, the lighting panel continues to be locked to the pair of retaining strips.

Claims

1. A visual display lighting system comprising:

a support, at least one module, said at least one module having;

(a) a plurality of light sources,

(b) a board holding said plurality of light sources,

(c) a lighting panel, said lighting panel having opposing ends,

first means connected to said support for locking to said opposing ends of said lighting panel for holding said module in said visual display lighting system, said locking means releasing from said lighting panel when said module is removed from the front of said visual display lighting system,

said lighting panel having second means for locking to said board in order to hold said plurality of light sources in said lighting panel, said second locking means releasing from said board in order to remove said board holding said light sources from the rear of said visual display lighting system thereby leaving said lighting panel locked to said support by said first locking means.

2. A visual display lighting system comprising:

a support, at least one module, said at least one module having;

(a) a plurality of light sources,

(b) a board holding said plurality of light sources,

(c) a lighting panel, said lighting panel having opposing ends,

a pair of retainer strips connected to said support for locking to said opposing ends of said lighting panel for holding said module in said visual display lighting system, said retainer strips releasing from said opposing ends of said lighting panel when said module is removed from the front of said visual display lighting system,

said lighting panel having at least one retainer clip locking to said board for holding said plurality of light sources in said lighting panel, said at least one retainer clip releasing from said board in order to remove said board holding said light sources from the rear of said visual display lighting system thereby leaving said lighting panel locked to said pair of retainer strips.

3. The visual display lighting system of claim 2 wherein each of said light sources is an incandescent bulb.

4. The visual display lighting system of claim 2 wherein said board is a printed circuit board, said printed circuit board having electronic drive circuitry for controlling the delivery of power to said plurality of light sources.

5. The visual display lighting system of claim 2 wherein said lighting panel has a reflector and lens for each of said plurality of light sources.

6. The visual display lighting system of claim 2 wherein each retainer strip of said pair has at least one outwardly extending prong selectively engaging said opposing ends.

7. The visual display lighting system of claim 2 wherein said at least one retainer clip locks to the outer periphery of said board.

14. The visual display lighting system of claim 2 wherein said module contains four pixels and wherein each of said four pixels has four bulbs.

8. A visual display lighting system comprising:

a support, at least one module, said at least one module having;

(a) a plurality of bulbs,

(b) drive circuitry for powering said plurality of bulbs,

(c) a printed circuit board holding said plurality of bulbs and said drive circuitry,

(d) a lighting panel, sail lighting panel having opposing ends,

a pair of retainer strips connected to said support for locking to said opposing ends of said lighting panel for holding said module in said visual display lighting system, said retainer strips releasing from said opposing ends when said module is removed from the front of said visual display lighting system,

said lighting panel having at least one retainer clip locking to said printed circuit board for holding said plurality of bulbs in said lighting panel, said at least one retainer clip releasing from said printed circuit board in order to remove said printed circuit board from the rear of said visual display lighting system.

9. The visual display system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of bulbs are light bulbs.

10. The visual display system of claim 8 wherein said module contains four pixels and wherein each of said four pixels has four bulbs.

11. The visual display system of claim 8 wherein each retainer strip of said pair has at least one outwardly extending prong selectively engaging said opposing ends.

12. The visual display system of claim 8 wherein said at least one retainer clip locks to the outer periphery of said printed circuit board.

13. A visual display lighting system comprising:

a support, at least one module, said at least one module having;

(a) a plurality of incandescent bulbs,

(b) drive circuitry for powering said plurality of incandescent bulbs,

(c) a printed circuit board holding said plurality of incandescent bulbs and said drive circuitry,

(d) a lighting panel, said lighting panel having opposing ends, each of said opposing ends having formed slots

a pair of retainer strips connected to said support, each of said pair of retainer strips having outwardly extending prongs for locking into said formed slots so as to hold said module in said visual display lighting system, said outwardly extending prongs releasing from said formed slots when said module is removed from the front of said visual display lighting system,

said lighting panel having at least one retainer clip locking to the periphery of said printed circuit board for holding said plurality of incandescent bulbs in said lighting panel, said at least one retainer clip releasing from the periphery of said printed circuit board in order to remove said printed circuit board from the rear of said visual display lighting system.

15. The visual display lighting system of claim 13 wherein each said outwardly extending prong has an end having an inclined ramp terminating in a hook, said ramp engaging said formed slot in said lighting panel for causing said outwardly extending prong to in a direction substantially perpendicular to the slot until said hook is encountered whereupon said outwardly extending prong snaps back towards said slot.

16. The visual display lighting system of claim 15 wherein each said outwardly extending prong further has a formed rib across said prong, said formed rib abutting against a portion of said lighting panel for firmly holding said lighting panel to said retainer strip when said prong snaps back.

17. The visual display lighting system of claim 15 wherein said at least one retainer clip has a pair of opposing clips for engaging opposing peripheral edges of said printed circuit board.