Illumination display with enhanced illumination edge lighting
First Claim
1. An illumination display comprising:
- a light transmitting panel having sides and an edge, wherein the edge of the panel includes at least one light coupling portion and wherein at least one of the sides includes at least one enhanced illumination portion, wherein the enhanced illumination portion includes a raised enhanced illumination portion extending from one of the sides proximate the light coupling portion of the edge;
at least one light source optically coupled into the light coupling portion of the edge of the light transmitting panel, wherein the light transmitting panel is configured to refract and reflect the coupled light such that an intensity of the light emitted from the at least one enhanced illumination portion is greater than an intensity of the light emitted from other portions of the light transmitting panel; and
at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) panel disposed on at least a portion of the light transmitting panel other than the raised enhanced illumination portion, wherein the light transmitting panel is configured to provide backlighting for the LCD panel, and wherein the raised enhanced illumination portion forms a frame around at least a portion of the LCD panel.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In general, an illumination display includes a light transmitting panel that provides enhanced illumination edge lighting. One or more light sources are optically coupled into an edge of the light transmitting panel to illuminate the light transmitting panel. The light transmitting panel refracts and reflects light such that a greater intensity of light may be emitted from one or more enhanced illumination portions, such as a raised enhanced illumination portion, of the light transmitting panel. The light source(s) may emit light of different colors corresponding to different conditions such that the illumination display indicates a condition by illuminating with the color corresponding to the condition. The illumination display may be used in various devices including, but not limited to, a device for checking the temperature of food.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An illumination display comprising:
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a light transmitting panel having sides and an edge, wherein the edge of the panel includes at least one light coupling portion and wherein at least one of the sides includes at least one enhanced illumination portion, wherein the enhanced illumination portion includes a raised enhanced illumination portion extending from one of the sides proximate the light coupling portion of the edge; at least one light source optically coupled into the light coupling portion of the edge of the light transmitting panel, wherein the light transmitting panel is configured to refract and reflect the coupled light such that an intensity of the light emitted from the at least one enhanced illumination portion is greater than an intensity of the light emitted from other portions of the light transmitting panel; and at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) panel disposed on at least a portion of the light transmitting panel other than the raised enhanced illumination portion, wherein the light transmitting panel is configured to provide backlighting for the LCD panel, and wherein the raised enhanced illumination portion forms a frame around at least a portion of the LCD panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for determining food temperature, the apparatus comprising:
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a piercing element; a temperature sensor thermally coupled to the piercing element and configured to sense a temperature of an item contacting the piercing element; a handle portion coupled to the piercing element; and an illumination display integral with the handle portion, the illumination display comprising; a light transmitting panel having sides and an edge, wherein the edge of the panel includes at least one light coupling portion and wherein at least one of the sides includes at least one enhanced illumination portion, wherein the enhanced illumination portion includes a raised enhanced illumination portion extending from one of the sides proximate the light coupling portion of the edge; at least one light source optically coupled into the light coupling portion of the edge of the light transmitting panel, wherein the light transmitting panel is configured to refract and reflect the coupled light such that an intensity of the light emitted from the at least one enhanced illumination portion is greater than an intensity of the light emitted from other portions of the light transmitting panel, and wherein the at least one light source is configured to emit light of different colors in response to a level of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor; and at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) panel disposed on at least a portion of the light transmitting panel other than the raised enhanced illumination portion, wherein the raised enhanced illumination portion forms a frame around at least a portion of the LCD panel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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a display mounting portion; and an illumination display mounted in the display mounting portion, the illumination display comprising; a light transmitting panel having sides and an edge, wherein the edge of the panel includes at least one light coupling portion and wherein at least one of the sides includes at least one enhanced illumination portion, wherein the enhanced illumination portion includes a raised enhanced illumination portion extending from one of the sides proximate the light coupling portion of the edge; at least one light source optically coupled into the light coupling portion of the edge of the light transmitting panel, wherein the light transmitting panel is configured to refract and reflect the coupled light such that an intensity of the light emitted from the at least one enhanced illumination portion is greater than an intensity of the light emitted from other portions of the light transmitting panel, and wherein the at least one light source is configured to emit light of different colors representing information; and at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) panel disposed on at least a portion of the light transmitting panel other than the raised enhanced illumination portion, wherein the raised enhanced illumination portion forms a frame around at least a portion of the LCD panel. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification