Illuminated sign

• US 8,109,020 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Everbrite LLC
• Original Assignee: Everbrite LLC
• Inventors: Boyles, Chad, Donnelly, Beth, Mathson, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US12/560,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20110061276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 405/02, 404/95, 406/061.4, 406/061.5, 405/08, 405/31, 362/812, 362/282, 362/324, 362/322, 362/35
• US Class Current: 40/576
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/10 using transparencies
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/08 the elements being secured or adapted to be secured by means of grooves, rails, or slits

Abstract

An illuminated sign that includes a base configured to face a front direction and configured to be placed in a first orientation and a second orientation when the base faces the front direction. A first character is configured to rotate with respect to the base between a first position facing the front direction and a second position facing the front direction. A second character is configured to rotate with respect to the base between the first position facing the front direction and the second position facing the front direction. A rotation mechanism is configured to enable at least one of the first character and the second character to rotate between the first and the second positions.

Claims

1. An illuminated sign comprising:

a base configured to face a front direction and configured to be placed in a first orientation and a second orientation when the base faces the front direction;

a light source coupled to the base;

a translucent output coupled to the base and configured to transmit light generated by the light source;

a first character configured to be illuminated by the light source, the first character configured to rotate with respect to the base between a first position facing the front direction and a second position facing the front direction;

a second character configured to be illuminated by the light source, the second character configured to rotate with respect to the base between the first position facing the front direction and the second position facing the front direction; and

a rotation mechanism configured to enable the first character to rotate between the first and the second positions,

wherein the first character is disposed on a first carrier and the first character is independently rotatable with respect to the second character by the rotation mechanism, and

wherein the second character is disposed on a second carrier and the second character is independently rotatable with respect to the first character.

2. The illuminated sign of claim 1, wherein the illuminated sign further comprises a second rotation mechanism configured to enable the second character to rotate between the first and the second positions independent of rotation of the first character between the first and the second positions.

3. The illuminated sign of claim 2, the illuminated sign further comprising:

a rear bezel coupled to the base;

a first front bezel removably coupled to the base and configured to removably couple the first carrier to the rear bezel; and

a second front bezel removably coupled to the base and configured to removably couple the second carrier to the rear bezel.

4. The illuminated sign of claim 3, wherein the first front bezel is rotatably coupled to the base and includes the rotation mechanism, and wherein the second front bezel is rotatably coupled to the base and includes the second rotation mechanism.

5. The illuminated sign of claim 2, wherein the rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the first character by at least 90 degrees, and wherein the second rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the second character by at least 90 degrees.

6. The illuminated sign of claim 2, wherein the rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism are configured to independently rotate the first character and the second character, respectively.

7. The illuminated sign of claim 1, wherein the base includes a rear wall and a plurality of sidewalls generally normal to the rear wall, wherein rear wall and the plurality of sidewalls define a cavity, and wherein the light source is located within the cavity.

8. The illuminated sign of claim 1, wherein the first carrier is removably coupled to the base, wherein the second carrier is removably coupled to the base, and wherein the first and the second carriers are configured to rotate with respect to the base while coupled to the base.

9. The illuminated sign of claim 1, further comprising a third character and a fourth character, wherein the third character is interchangeable with the first character, and wherein the fourth character is interchangeable with the second character.

10. The illuminated sign of claim 1, the illuminated sign further comprising a first lens and a second lens, wherein the first carrier is coupled to the first lens for rotation with the first lens and the second carrier is coupled to the second lens for rotation with the second lens.

11. The illuminated sign of claim 10, wherein the rear bezel includes,

a first aperture that at least partially receives the first lens,

a second aperture that at least partially receives the second lens,

a first recess having a first end and a second end, the first recess adjacent the first aperture, and

a second recess having a third end and a fourth end, the second recess adjacent the second aperture,

wherein the first lens includes a first projection received within the first recess,

wherein the second lens includes a second projection received within the second recess,

wherein the first projection of the first lens contacts the first end of the first recess to define the first position of the first character and the first projection of the first lens contacts the second end of the first recess to define the second position of the first character, and

wherein the second projection of the second lens contacts the third end of the second recess to define the first position of the second character and the second projection of the second lens contacts the fourth end of the second recess to define the second position of the second character.

12. The illuminated sign of claim 10, wherein the first lens includes a projection, wherein the first carrier includes an aperture, wherein the projection of the first lens is received within the aperture of the first carrier to couple the first lens and the first carrier for co-rotation, wherein the second lens includes a projection, wherein the second carrier includes an aperture, wherein the projection of the second lens is received within the aperture of the second carrier to couple the second lens and the second carrier for co-rotation.

13. The illuminated sign of claim 10, wherein the first lens and the second lens include diffusive reflectors.

14. The illuminated sign of claim 1, wherein the first orientation of the base is a horizontal orientation, and wherein the second orientation of the base is a vertical orientation.

15. The illuminated sign of claim 1, further comprising,

a third character interchangeable with the first character;

a fourth character interchangeable with the second character, and

wherein the base includes a pocket configured to retain the third and the fourth characters.

16. A method of positioning an illuminated sign, the method comprising:

providing an illuminated sign having base, a first character in a first position with respect to the base and facing a front direction, and a second character in the first position with respect to the base and facing the front direction;

placing the base of the sign in a first orientation with the base facing the front direction;

repositioning the base of the sign in a second orientation with the base facing the front direction;

rotating the first character with respect to the base to a second position facing the front direction using a rotation mechanism; and

rotating the second character with respect to the base to the second position facing the front direction

wherein rotating the first character includes rotating the first character with respect to the second character independent of rotation of the second character, and

wherein rotating the second character includes rotating the second character with respect to the first character independent of rotation of the first character.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein rotating the second character includes rotating the second character with respect to the first character using a second rotation mechanism.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising, replacing the first character with a third character.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein replacing the first character with the third character includes:

uncoupling a first bezel coupled to the base, uncoupling a first carrier from the base having the first character formed thereon, coupling a second carrier to the base having the third character formed thereon, and re-coupling the first bezel to the base.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising, replacing the first character with an opaque blank.