Sign and method for lighting

• US 9,576,511 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van De Ven, Antony Paul, Negley, Gerald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Syed A
• Application Number:
  US13/344,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20120102800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 405/81, 405/82, 405/83, 405/59, 405/60, 405/64, 405/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia

Abstract

A sign comprising a surface having a display, and a plurality of sources of visible light. The sources of visible light are oriented to illuminate at least a portion of the display, and include solid state light emitters and/or luminescent materials. Line segments drawn on a Chromaticity Diagram connecting coordinates of some of the illumination color hues define a shape which encompasses coordinates of the display color hue(s). Also, a sign comprising a surface having a display having a surface area of at least 4 square meters, and at least 100 sources of visible light including solid state light emitters and/or luminescent materials. Also, a sign comprising a white light source and at least one additional source of light. Also, methods of illuminating signs.

Claims

1. A sign, comprising:

a sign structure, a display and at least two sources of visible light,

the sign structure having a first surface, the first surface defining substantially a first plane, the display on the first surface, the display comprising at least one display color hue,

the sources of visible light oriented such that when illuminated, the sources of visible light illuminate at least a portion of the display by emitting light, at least some of which exits the sources of visible light, travels to the display, and is reflected by the display, so that the display is illuminated, the sources of visible light from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials,

at least two of the sources of visible light, when illuminated, emit light having respective hues that are spaced from each other by at least 0.36 units on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

2. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein the display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

3. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein the sign comprises at least 100 of the sources of visible light.

4. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises at least two color hues, and an intensity of at least one of the color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of illumination produced by mixing illumination from the at least a first source of visible light.

5. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises at least one region of permanent lettering and/or imagery.

6. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein the sign structure is opaque.

7. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein the sources of visible light comprise at least four sources of visible light having respective hues that are spaced from each other by at least 0.36 units on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

8. A method of illuminating a sign, comprising:

illuminating a sign structure by illuminating at least two sources of visible light so that at least some of the light emitted by the sources of visible light exits the sources of visible light, travels to a display and is reflected by the display, so that the display is illuminated, the sign structure having a first surface, the first surface defining substantially a first plane, the display on the first surface, the display comprising at least one display color hue,

the sources of visible light from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials,

the light emitted from at least two of the sources of visible light having respective hues that are spaced from each other by at least 0.36 units on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

9. A sign as recited in claim 8, wherein the display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

10. A sign as recited in claim 8, wherein the sign comprises at least 100 of the sources of visible light.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the display comprises at least two color hues, and an intensity of at least one of the color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of illumination produced by illumination from the at least a first source of visible light.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the sign structure is opaque.

13. A sign as recited in claim 8, wherein the sources of visible light comprise at least four sources of visible light having respective hues that are spaced from each other by at least 0.36 units on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

14. A method of illuminating a sign, comprising:

illuminating a sign structure with a white light and at least one additional source of visible light, the sign structure having a first surface, a display on the first surface,

the white light source having a CRI of 75 or less,

the at least one additional source of visible light from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials,

wherein mixing of light from the white light source and light from the at least one additional source of visible light produces a mixed illumination which has a CRI of at least 85.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the sign comprises at least 100 of the sources of visible light.

17. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the white light source and the at least one additional source of visible light emit light having a combined intensity of at least 400 lumens.

18. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein an intensity of the white light source is at least 60% of an intensity of an illumination formed by mixing illumination from the white light source and the at least one additional source of visible light.

19. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein an intensity of at least one of the color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of a mixed illumination produced by illumination from the white light source and from the at least one additional source of visible light.

20. A method of illuminating a sign, comprising:

illuminating a sign structure with a white light source and a plurality of additional sources of visible light, the sign structure having a first surface, a display on the first surface, the display comprising at least one display color hue having x,y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram,

the white light source having a CRI of 75 or less,

the additional sources of visible light from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials, the additional sources of visible light, when illuminated, emitting light of an illumination color hue having x,y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram,

wherein line segments drawn on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram connecting respective x,y coordinates of at least some of the illumination color hues define a shape which encompasses x,y coordinates of the at least one display color hue.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the sign comprises at least 100 of the sources of visible light.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the white light source and the additional sources of visible light emit light having a combined intensity of at least 400 lumens.

24. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein an intensity of the white light source is at least 60% of an intensity of an illumination formed by mixing illumination from the white light source and the additional sources of visible light.

25. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein an intensity of at least one of the color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of a mixed illumination produced by illumination from the white light source and from the additional sources of visible light.