Illuminated vehicular sign

• US 9,830,841 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Shipman
• Original Assignee: Michael Shipman
• Inventors: Shipman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US15/137,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20160240115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/503 using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/544 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle occupants, e.g. for indicating disabled occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/06 for indicating aircraft presence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/005 Illumination controller or illuminated signs including an illumination control system
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/18 Edge-illuminated signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/20 with luminescent surfaces or parts luminescent compositions C09K11/00; light sources using luminescence F21K2/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/225 with electroluminescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/227 Electroluminescent displays for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/042 the advertising matter being fixed on the roof of the vehicles

Abstract

An illuminated vehicular sign is provided including a vehicle and luminescent planar sheet. The luminescent planar sheet is constructed to provide illuminated alpha-numeric characters which are mounted to the horizontal planar surfaces of a vehicle. The alpha-numeric characters are mounted substantially horizontally so as to be seen from the air such as by helicopters or planes. The illuminated vehicle sign includes a switching system electrically connected to the luminescent planar panels for selectively controlling the transfer of power from said power source to the luminescent planar panels. The switching system including one or more adjustable variable resistors electrically connected to the luminescent planar panels for allowing one to selectively adjust the wattage provided to them.

Claims

1. An illuminated vehicular sign comprising:

a vehicle having at least one substantially planar surface;

two or more luminescent planar panels mounted upon said substantially planar surface, each of said two or more luminescent planar panels constructed in the shape of a letter or number to provide luminescent indicia in the form of said letter or number, and wherein said two or more luminescent planar panels have different surface areas and different wattage requirements;

a power source which provides power to the two or more luminescent planar panels; and

a switching system electrically connected to said two or more luminescent planar panels and said power source which selectively transfers power from said power source to said two or more luminescent planar panels, said switching system including a two or more adjustable variable resistors to maintain uniform illumination produced by said luminescent planar panels with a first adjustable variable resistor electrically connected to a first luminescent planar panel to selectively adjust the wattage provided to the first luminescent planar panel so as to adjust the illumination produced by said first luminescent planar panel and a second adjustable variable resistor electrically connected to a second luminescent planar panel to selectively adjust the wattage provided to the second luminescent planar panel so as to adjust the illumination produced by said second luminescent planar panel.

2. The illuminated vehicular sign of claim 1 wherein said adjustable variable resistors are manually adjustable.

3. The illuminated vehicular sign of claim 1 wherein said switching system further comprises:

one or more resistance, current, voltage, or wattage sensors which measures the resistance, current, voltage or wattage of said two or more luminescent planar panels, and

a controller which automatically adjusts the resistance of said adjustable variable resistors based upon measurements made by said sensors to maintain uniform illumination produced by said luminescent planar panels.

4. The illuminated vehicular sign of claim 1 wherein said vehicle'"'"'s substantially planar surface is substantially horizontal and in the form of a hood surface, cabin roof surface, or trunk surface, and said two or more luminescent planar panels are mounted on said substantially horizontally planar surface so as to transmit light substantially directly upward so as to be seen from the sky.

5. The illuminated vehicular sign of claim 1 wherein each of said luminescent planar panels are electroluminescent panel light sources.