Alpha-numeric display array and method of manufacture

• US 4,336,580 A
• Filed: 10/14/1980
• Issued: 06/22/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VCH International Ltd (Havells India Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mouyard, Arthur A., Tomaszek, Paul A., Hamby, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US06/196,451
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 362/346, 362/348, 362/350, 362/302, 362/304, 362/305, 362/347
• US Class Current: 362/347
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs

Abstract

An alpha-numeric array is provided for the selective display of characters as controlled by associated character generator programming circuitry. The display array in one character format utilizes a 5×7 matrix array of individually operable illumination sources, LED solid state lamps for example, with programmed combinations of the individual illumination sources being operated to display the programmed characters. The display array includes a lens and front panel array having integrally formed lens areas. The lens areas of the lens and front panel array when unactuated are essentially indistinguishable from the front panel array background area thus providing improved contrast. The display array also includes a reflector array having integrally formed reflector cavities. The integrally formed reflector cavities include predetermined surface characteristics for collimating the light rays emanating from the central axis of the reflector cavities. The display array also includes an illumination source alignment and mounting array having integrally formed illumination source mounting arrangements and integrally formed illumination source alignment arrangements.

Claims

1. A generally dish shaped reflector cavity having a reflector surface comprising means for collimating light emanating from a series of points along the central axis of the reflector cavity, said collimating means comprising a predetermined surface characteristic of said reflector surface including a plurality of parabolic surfaces having different foci and being arranged in the same order as their respective foci are arranged along said central axis.

2. The reflector cavity of claim 1 wherein said dish shaped reflector cavity further comprises an aperture at the narrowed end of said dish shaped reflector cavity suitable for receiving an illumination source of the type having a body portion and a widened base portion, said reflector cavity further comprising illumination source positioning means for the accurate positioning of an inserted illumination source within said reflector cavity, said illumination source positioning means arranged to cooperate with the widened base portion of an inserted illumination source.

3. The reflector cavity of claim 1 wherein said plurality of parabolic surfaces are arranged such that respective foci of said parabolic surfaces are located along said central axis at an increasing dimension away from the narrowed end of said dish shaped reflector cavity corresponding to respective parabolic surfaces further away from said narrowed end.

4. The reflector cavity of claim 1 wherein said parabolic surfaces are arranged as a series of concentric surfaces, each of said parabolic surfaces having a respective focus located along said central axis.

5. The reflector cavity of claim 4 wherein said dish shaped reflector includes a narrowed bottom end and a larger diameter open end, the focus of each respective parabolic surface being located at a point along said central axis extending farther away from said narrowed bottom end in accordance with the position of each of said parabolic surfaces being located farther away from said narrowed bottom portion.

6. The reflector cavity of claim 4 wherein said parabolic surfaces are arranged at different positions along said central axis as defined by respective reference planes that are perpendicular to said central axis.

8. The reflector cavity of claim 1 wherein said plurality of parabolic surface is infinite and said predetermined surface characteristic is a continuously varying parabolic surface that varies continuously in a direction along said central axis.

7. A generally dish shaped reflector cavity having a reflector surface comprising a surface characteristic defined by a continuously varying parabolic surface such that light effectively emanating from a series of points along the central axis of said reflector cavity is collimated, said continuously varying parabolic surface comprising an infinite number of parabolic sections arranged perpendicularly to said central axis and having respective foci, each of said parabolic sections being arranged in the same order as their respective foci are arranged along said central axis, each of said parabolic sections being defined by a plane perpendicular to said central axis and being that portion of a respective paraboloid of revolution formed by a section taken perpendicular to said central axis.

9. An illumination source reflector cavity suitable for an illumination source, said illumination source reflector cavity comprising a generally dish shaped reflector surface defining a narrowed end and a larger diameter open end, said narrowed end having formed therein an aperture for receiving an inserted illumination source, said generally dish shaped reflector surface having a circular cross section with respect to the central axis of said illumination source reflector cavity and defining a continuously varying parabolic surface, the cross section of said continuously varying parabolic surface as defined by a plane including said central axis being formed by successive points, with each of said successive points being a point of a respective parabola, each of said parabolas, having different respective foci arranged along said central axis in the same order as said successive points of said cross section of said continuously varying parabolic surface.