Louver panel for an electronic sign

• US 8,350,788 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daktronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Daktronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Nearman, Nathan L., Wendler, Brett D., Bravek, Eric S., Gloege, Chad N., Mueller, Matthew R., Harms, Jason N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, PRIYANK J
• Application Number:
  US12/217,003
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 345 76- 83, 345 44- 46, 345/204, 345/903, 345 39- 40, 345/48, 315/169.3, 40542-60715
• US Class Current: 345/83
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/008 Sun shades, shades, hoods or louvres on electronic displays to minimise the effect of direct sun light on the display
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026

Abstract

A louver panel for an electronic sign incorporating multiple spaced primary and secondary louvers extending outwardly from a configured substantially planar panel to provide direct shading of the structure adjacent to an LED, to the structure of the louver panel including the louvers and the panel, and to provide shading for all or part of an LED. Spacings of the louvers provide for regions of shade which improve contrast and which in transition between panels camouflage horizontal seams.

Claims

1. A louver panel for an electronic sign comprising:

an expansive planar panel having;

a top edge and an opposite bottom edge;

a left side edge and an opposite right side edge; and

a front surface and a rear surface;

a plurality of rectangular shaped primary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of primary louvers being arranged in columns and rows with a primary louver gap formed between primary louvers in adjacent columns;

a plurality of rectangular shaped secondary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of rectangular shaped secondary louvers being arranged in said columns and rows with a secondary louver gap formed between secondary louvers in adjacent columns, each of said secondary louvers being spaced below a respective primary louver in each of said columns, said primary louvers and said secondary louvers having the same longitudinal widths, each of said secondary louvers having a smaller depth than each of said primary louvers; and

,

a plurality of spaced holes through said planar panel, said plurality of spaced holes being arranged in said columns and rows in a patterned array, and each of said holes in said patterned array being vertically sandwiched and spaced between an adjacent pair of said primary and secondary louvers;

wherein a vertical, elongated groove extends between successive adjacent columns from said top edge of said planar panel to said bottom edge of said planar panel, said elongated groove being inset into said front surface of said planar panel and vertically aligned with a plurality of the primary louver gaps and a plurality of the secondary louver gaps.

2. The louver panel of claim 1, wherein each of said elongated grooves has a width equal to a spacing separating said primary and secondary louvers in one column from said primary and secondary louvers in a successive adjacent column.

3. The louver panel of claim 2, wherein each of said columns has a primary louver at said top edge of said planar panel and a secondary louver at said bottom edge of said planar panel.

4. The louver panel of claim 1, wherein said rear surface of said expansive planar panel has a plurality of spaced pins affixed to and extending therefrom.

5. The louver panel of claim 4, wherein said electronic sign includes a circuit board supported adjacent said rear surface of said planar panel, said circuit board supporting a plurality of light sources which extend through said triplets of holes in said planar panel.

6. The louver panel of claim 5, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

7. The louver panel of claim 6, wherein said spaced pins extend through said circuit board and support said planar panel.

8. The louver panel of claim 6, wherein said louver panel, said circuit board, and said LEDs form an electronic display module supported within a main housing.

9. The louver panel of claim 6, wherein said LEDs in each of said triplets of holes includes a red LED, a blue LED and a green LED.

10. The louver panel of claim 1, wherein said holes in each of said columns being primarily arranged in triplets with each of said triplets being adjacently spaced from each other.

11. The louver panel of claim 10, wherein said triplets in one column are interleaved with said triplets in an adjacent column.

12. The louver panel of claim 1, wherein said electronic sign includes a circuit board supported adjacent said rear surface of said planar panel, said circuit board supporting a plurality of light sources which extend through said holes in said planar panel.

13. The louver panel of claim 12, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

14. The louver panel of claim 13, wherein said louver panel, said circuit board, and said LEDs form an electronic display module supported within a main housing.

15. A louver panel for an electronic sign comprising:

an expansive planar panel having;

a top edge and an opposite bottom edge;

a left side edge and an opposite right side edge; and

a front surface and a rear surface;

a plurality of arcuate shaped primary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of primary louvers being arranged in columns and rows with a primary louver gap formed between primary louvers in adjacent columns;

a plurality of arcuate shaped secondary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of arcuate shaped secondary louvers being arranged in said columns and rows with a secondary louver gap formed between secondary louvers in adjacent columns, each of said secondary louvers being spaced below a respective primary louver in each of said columns, each of said arcuate shaped primary louvers having a longitudinal base width equal to the longitudinal base width of each of said arcuate shaped secondary louvers, each of said secondary louvers having a smaller depth at its apex than the apex of each of said primary louvers; and

,

a plurality of spaced holes through said planar panel, said plurality of spaced holes being arranged in said columns and rows in a patterned array, and each of said holes in said patterned array being vertically sandwiched and spaced between an adjacent pair of said primary and secondary louvers;

wherein a vertical, elongated groove extends between successive adjacent columns from said to edge of said planar panel to said bottom edge of said planar panel, said elongated groove being inset into said front surface of said planar panel and vertically aligned with a plurality of the primary louver gaps and a plurality of the secondary louver gaps.

16. The louver panel of claim 15, wherein each of said elongated grooves has a width equal to a spacing separating said primary and secondary louvers in one column from said primary and secondary louvers in a successive adjacent column.

17. The louver panel of claim 16, wherein each of said columns has a primary louver at said top edge of said planar panel and a secondary louver at said bottom edge of said planar panel.

18. The louver panel of claim 15, wherein said holes in each of said columns being primarily arranged in triplets with each of said triplets being adjacently spaced from each other.

19. The louver panel of claim 18, wherein said triplets in one column are interleaved with said triplets in an adjacent column.

20. The louver panel of claim 19, wherein said electronic sign includes a circuit board supported adjacent said rear surface of said planar panel, said circuit board supporting a plurality of light sources which extend through said triplets of holes in said planar panel.

21. The louver panel of claim 20, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

22. The louver panel of claim 21, wherein said LEDs in each of said triplets of holes includes a red LED, a blue LED and a green LED.

23. An electronic sign comprising:

a plurality of louver panels arranged in a horizontal and vertical array wherein horizontally adjacent louver panels are separated by a small gap and wherein vertically adjoining louver panels are separated by a small gap, each of said plurality of louver panels comprising an expansive planar panel having a top edge, an opposite bottom edge, a left side edge and an opposite right side edge, a front surface and a rear surface;

a plurality of rectangular shaped primary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of primary louvers being arranged in columns and rows with a primary louver gap formed between primary louvers in adjacent columns;

a plurality of rectangular shaped secondary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of rectangular shaped secondary louvers being arranged in said columns and rows with a secondary louver gap formed between secondary louvers in adjacent columns, each of said secondary louvers being spaced a first distance below an upper adjacent primary louver in each of said columns and being spaced a second smaller distance above a lower adjacent primary louver in each of said columns, said primary louvers and said secondary louvers having the same longitudinal widths, each of said secondary louvers having a smaller depth than each of said primary louvers, each of said columns has a primary louver at said top edge of said planar panel and a secondary louver at said bottom edge of said planar panel; and

,

a plurality of spaced holes through said planar panel, said plurality of spaced holes being arranged in said columns and rows in a patterned array, and each of said holes in said patterned array being vertically sandwiched and spaced between an adjacent pair of said primary and secondary louvers;

wherein a vertical, elongated groove extends between successive adjacent columns from said top edge of said planar panel to said bottom edge of said planar panel, said elongated groove being inset into said front surface of said planar panel and vertically aligned with a plurality of the primary louver gaps and a plurality of the secondary louver gaps.

24. The electronic sign of claim 23, wherein each of said elongated grooves has a width equal to a spacing separating said primary and secondary louvers in one column from said primary and secondary louvers in a successive adjacent column.

25. The electronic sign of claim 24, wherein said small gap separating said horizontally adjacent louver panels is equal to said width of said elongated groove.

26. The electronic sign of claim 25, wherein said small gap separating said vertically adjacent louver panels is equal to said second smaller distance.

27. The electronic sign of claim 26, wherein said holes in each of said columns being primarily arranged in triplets with each of said triplets being adjacently spaced from each other.

28. The electronic sign of claim 27, wherein said triplets in one column are interleaved with said triplets in an adjacent column.

29. The electronic sign of claim 28, wherein said electronic sign includes a circuit board supported adjacent said rear surface of said planar panel, said circuit board supporting a plurality of light sources which extend through said triplets of holes in said planar panel.

30. The electronic sign of claim 29, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

31. The electronic sign of claim 30, wherein said LEDs in each of said triplets of holes includes a red LED, a blue LED and a green LED.

32. An electronic sign comprising:

a plurality of louver panels arranged in a horizontal and vertical array wherein horizontally adjacent louver panels are separated by a small gap and wherein vertically adjoining louver panels are separated by a small gap, each of said plurality of louver panels comprising an expansive planar panel having a top edge, an opposite bottom edge, a left side edge and an opposite right side edge, a front surface and a rear surface;

a plurality of arcuate shaped primary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of primary louvers being arranged in columns and rows with primary louver gap formed between primary louvers in adjacent columns;

a plurality of arcuate shaped secondary louvers extending perpendicularly from said front surface of said planar panel, said plurality of arcuate shaped secondary louvers being arranged in said columns and rows with a secondary louver gap formed between secondary louvers in adjacent columns, each of said secondary louvers being spaced a first distance below an upper adjacent primary louver in each of said columns and being spaced a second smaller distance above a lower adjacent primary louver in each of said columns, each of said arcuate shaped primary louvers having a longitudinal base width equal to the longitudinal base width of each of said arcuate shaped secondary louvers, each of said secondary louvers having a smaller depth at its apex than the apex of each of said primary louvers, each of said columns has a primary louver at said top edge of said planar panel and a secondary louver at said bottom edge of said planar panel; and

,

a plurality of spaced holes through said planar panel, said plurality of spaced holes being arranged in said columns and rows in a patterned array, and each of said holes in said patterned array being vertically sandwiched and spaced between an adjacent pair of said primary and secondary louvers;

wherein a vertical, elongated groove extends between successive adjacent columns from said top edge of said planar panel to said bottom edge of said planar panel, said elongated groove being inset into said front surface of said planar panel and vertically aligned with a plurality of the primary louver gaps and a plurality of the secondary louver gaps.

33. The electronic sign of claim 32, wherein each of said elongated grooves has a width equal to a spacing separating said primary and secondary louvers in one column from said primary and secondary louvers in a successive adjacent column.

34. The electronic sign of claim 33, wherein said small gap separating said horizontally adjacent louver panels is equal to said width of said elongated groove.

35. The electronic sign of claim 34, wherein said small gap separating said vertically adjacent louver panels is equal to said second smaller distance.

36. The electronic sign of claim 35, wherein said holes in each of said columns being primarily arranged in triplets with each of said triplets being adjacently spaced from each other.

37. The electronic sign of claim 36, wherein said triplets in one column are interleaved with said triplets in an adjacent column.

38. The electronic sign of claim 37, wherein said electronic sign includes a circuit board supported adjacent said rear surface of said planar panel, said circuit board supporting a plurality of light sources which extend through said triplets of holes in said planar panel.

39. The electronic sign of claim 38, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

40. The electronic sign of claim 39, wherein said LEDs in each of said triplets of holes includes a red LED, a blue LED, and a green LED.