L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards

• US 5,896,093 A
• Filed: 04/03/1998
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fritz C. Sjobom
• Original Assignee: Fritz C. Sjobom
• Inventors: Sjobom, Fritz C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/054,695
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.75, 340/815.45, 340/815.56, 340/944, 340/917, 340/925, 340/815.62, 362/244, 362/332, 362/333, 362/339, 362/800, 359/624
• US Class Current: 340/815.75
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 7/00 Arrangement or adaptation of portable emergency signal devices on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/662 mounted on vehicles, e.g. service vehicles; Warning vehicles travelling along with road-maintenance, e.g. remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards having an upright oriented lens having a front surface and a rear surface. A plurality of vertical flutes are formed on said rear surface and a plurality of horizontal flutes are formed on said front surface. Each of these flutes have a left edge and a right edge and when the lens is viewed from the front or rear, the respective viewable intersecting left and right edges of the vertical flutes and horizontal flutes define a grid of four-sided light magnifier modules. This grid has a central core portion of light magnifier modules and a surrounding portion of light magnifier modules. Light from the L.E.D.'"'"'s positioned behind the central core portion of light magnifier modules produces a spotlight type of beam along the longitudinal axis of the light assembly. The surrounding portion of light magnifier modules produce a divergent light pattern that is greater in the horizontal plane than in the vertical plane. The light intensity in front of the central core portion of light magnifier modules is at a minimum of 30% brighter than the intensity of the light in front of the surrounding portion of light magnifier modules.

Claims

1. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards comprising:

an upright oriented lens having a height H1, a width W1, a peripheral edge, a front surface and a rear surface;

a plurality of adjacent vertical flutes each having a left edge and a right edge are formed on said rear surface and a plurality of adjacent horizontal flutes each having a left edge and a right edge are formed on said front surface;

in viewing said lens from the front or rear of said lens, the respective viewable intersecting left and right edges of said vertical flutes and said horizontal flutes define a grid of light magnifier modules;

said grid has a central core portion of light magnifier modules and a surrounding portion of light magnifier modules;

said light magnifier modules each having a height H2 and a width W2;

said light magnifier modules each having an axially extending substantially horizontal X-axis and said X-axes are substantially parallel to each other;

an upright oriented base having a front end;

a housing having a front end and a rear end;

said rear end being connected to said base and said front end being connected to said lens;

an upright oriented printed circuit board that is mounted in said base;

said printed circuit board having a front surface that is positioned a distance D1 behind said lens and D1 is in the range of 3/4"-21/2";

said X-axes of said light magnifier modules extend rearwardly to said front surface of said printed circuit board;

several L.E.D.'"'"'s each having a longitudinally extending axis are mounted on said front surface of said printed circuit board and said longitudinal axes substantially coincide with said respective X-axes of said light magnifier modules of said lens;

there is an L.E.D. on most of said X-axes of said central core portion of magnifier modules of said lens and there is an L.E.D. on most of said X-axes of said surrounding portion of magnifier modules on said lens;

said light magnifier modules of said central core portion having means for projecting axially forwardly a spotlight beam of light having an intensity in the range of 600-1000 candelas;

said light magnifier modules of said surrounding portion of light magnifier modules having means for dispersing light rays in a pattern having a vertical angulation in the range of 0-15 degrees and a horizontal angulation in the range of 0-30 degrees, said light intensity of said surrounding portion of light magnifier modules being in the range of 200-800 candelas.

2. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein H2 is in the range of 3/8"-5/8" and W2. is in the range of 3/8"-5/8".

3. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic signals and arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein W1 is greater than H1 and said lens is substantially rectangular shaped.

4. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein W1 is greater than H1 and said lens has a substantially oval shape.

5. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein said lens housing tapers in size from its rear end to its front end.

6. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein H1 is in the range of 2"-41/2" and W1 is in the range of 21/2"-61/2".

7. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein said base, said lens housing and said lens are integrally formed of plastic material.

8. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 7 wherein said base is a round PAR 46 base.

9. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 7 wherein said base is a round PAR 36 base.

10. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein said vertical flutes have a convex shape to spread the light from the L.E.D.Is positioned behind said lens in a horizontal pattern.

11. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein said vertical flutes have a concave shape to spread the light of the L.E.D.'"'"'s positioned behind said lens in a vertical pattern.

12. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 further comprising pixels extending rearwardly from the rear surface of some of said light magnifier modules to advance the optics at a close range and diminish the viewing range at a greater distance.

13. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein said vertical flutes have a convex shape to spread the light from the L.E.D.'"'"'s positioned behind said lens in a horizontal pattern.

14. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 1 wherein said horizontal flutes have a concave shape to spread the light from the L.E.D.'"'"'s positioned behind said lens in a vertical pattern.

15. An L.E.D. light assembly for traffic arrowboards as recited in claim 12 wherein said pixels are on light magnifier modules that don'"'"'t have an L.E.D. behind them on their X-axis.