Electronic illuminated house sign

• US 6,367,180 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard S. Weiss
• Original Assignee: Richard S. Weiss
• Inventors: Eckhardt, Richard, Aisenberg, Sol, Weiss, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US09/753,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 405/80, 405/64, 405/41, 405/44
• US Class Current: 40/580
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• 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, readable during the night or day, and suitable for use as a house number display, uses a single illuminatable panel, on which a number of stencils are plac critical flicker frequency ed. Each stencil is a rectangular piece of opaque material, such as plastic or metal, in which a central cutout is made in the shape of a number. Several of these stencils are arrayed in front of the illuminatable panel, so that only the light coming through the central cutouts is visible through the stencils. The illuminatable panel is made of an array of LED'"'"'s, with a diffuser to produce a uniform illumination, and is powered by one or more batteries. A light detector senses the onset of dusk, which activates the illuminatable panel, turning it on, and leaving it on for four or more hours. A constant-current electronic system powers the LEDs, which are pulsed on and off at a speed greater than 90 Hz, which makes the sign appear to the human eye as constantly illuminated. A timer leaves the illuminatable panel illuminated only for a few hours, in order to maximize the life of the batteries.

Claims

1. An illuminated sign, comprising:

(a) one or more batteries;

(b) an illuminatable panel powered by the batteries, and further comprising a multiplicity of LEDs;

switching means which switch the LEDs on and off at a pulse rate beyond the critical flicker fusion frequency;

which vary the pulse rate, which cause the LED'"'"'s to remain on for an on period after being switched on, and which vary the duration of said on period;

(c) light diffusing means disposed in front of the illuminatable panel; and

(d) one or more opaque stencils each containing one or more cutouts of a character through which the illuminatable panel is visible,

so that the appearance of the sign is of illuminated characters corresponding to the stencils when the illuminatable panel is illuminated.

2. The sign of claim 1, further comprising constant current electronic means to illuminate the LEDs.

3. The sign of claim 2, wherein the sign further comprises:

(a) a dusk detector,

(b) timing means which is activated when the dusk detector detects the onset of dusk and remains activated-for an illumination period; and

(c) means to control the illumination period,

so that said timing means switches power from the batteries to the illuminatable panel off except during the illumination period.

4. The sign of claim 3, further comprising switching means to flash the sign on and off at a rate perceptible to the human eye.

5. The sign of claim 4, wherein the light diffusing means further comprises a panel having a whitish color, so that the cutouts in the stencils are easily visible during daylight hours, when the illuminatable panel is not illuminated.

6. The sign of claim 5, wherein the stencils have a front side and a back side, the front side being dark in color, and the back side having a reflective surface, so that a light from the reflective surface reflects off the light diffusing means, further illuminating the light diffusing means.

7. The sign of claim 6, further comprising a sign body, and slides formed therein and wherein the stencils are retained in the body by the slides.

8. The sign of claim 7, wherein the light diffusing means further comprises a first diffuser plane, in proximity with the illuminatable panel, and a second diffuser plate, having a whitish color, and in proximity with the stencils.

9. An illuminated sign, comprising:

(a) one or more batteries;

(b) an illuminatable panel powered by the batteries, and further comprising a multiplicity of LEDs;

a switch which switches the LEDs on and off at a pulse rate beyond the critical flicker fusion frequency;

which vary the pulse rate, which cause the LED'"'"'s to remain on for an on period after being switched on, and which vary the duration of said on period;

(c) a light diffuser disposed in front of the illuminatable panel; and

(d) one or more opaque stencils each containing one or more cutouts of a character through which the illuminatable panel is visible.

so that the appearance of the sign is of illuminated characters corresponding to the stencils when the illuminatable panel is illuminated.

10. The sign of claim 9, further comprising a constant current electronic source to illuminate the LEDs.

11. The sign of claim 10, wherein the sign further comprises:

(a) a dusk detector,

(b) a timer which is activated when the dusk detector detects the onset of dusk and remains activated for an illumination period; and

(c) a controller to control the illumination period,

so that said timer switches power from the batteries to the illuminatable panel off except during the illumination period.

12. The sign of claim 11, further comprising a flasher switch to flash the sign on and off at a rate perceptible to the human eye.

13. The sign of claim 12, wherein the light diffuser further comprises a panel having a whitish color, so that the cutouts in the stencils are easily visible during daylight hours, when the illuminatable panel is not illuminated.

14. The sign of claim 13, wherein the stencils have a front side and a back side, the front side being dark in color, and the back side having a reflective surface, so that a light from the reflective surface reflects off the light diffuser, further illuminating the light diffuser.

15. The sign of claim 14, further comprising a sign body, and slides formed therein and wherein the stencils are retained in the body by the slides.

16. The sign of claim 15, wherein the light diffuser further comprises a first diffuser plane, in proximity with the illuminatable panel, and a second diffuser plate, having a whitish color, and in proximity with the stencils.