Illuminated sign housing assembly

• US 5,634,287 A
• Filed: 09/08/1995
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Specialty Manufacturing Inc. (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transpec, Inc. (White Mountains Insurance Group Limited)
• Inventors: Lamparter, Ronald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US08/525,119
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 40/572, 40/550, 40/552, 40/573, 40/578, 40/580, 40/582, 40/452, 362/80, 362/83.3, 362/800, 362/249, 362/252, 362/812, 362/109, 362/184, 362/231
• US Class Current: 40/572
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/503 using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/00 Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising G09F9/00, G09F11/00 take precedence; control of displays in general using static means to present variable information G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0454 Slidable panels or parts
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0472 Traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/05 indicating exit way or orientation
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

A sign (10) includes a sign housing (16) defining an internal cavity (32). The sign housing (16) includes front and rear faces (18, 20) having indicia or an instruction thereon and slotted apertures (22) defining the indicia. A lens housing (60) is secured within the cavity (32) and includes raised surface portions (26) which protrude through the slotted apertures (22). Light emitting diodes (28) are positioned within the lens 15 housing (60) to illuminate the indicia. The sign housing (16) and lens housing (60) are sealed to protect the LEDs (28).

Claims

1. A sign assembly comprising:

a sign housing having a front face with at least one aperture formed therein defining a predetermined shape;

a lens connected to said sign housing and including a raised surface in a hollow portion of the lens protruding through said at least one aperture in at least a portion of said predetermined shape;

and at least one light element connected to and behind said lens opposite said sign housing, said at least one light element comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed in said hollow portion of the lens and illuminating said raised surface in said at least one aperture.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lens comprises a transparent material.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sign housing comprises an opaque material.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a plurality of slotted apertures including said at least one aperture defining said predetermined shape, and wherein said lens has a plurality of raised surfaces including said raised surface to protrude through said plurality of slotted apertures.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said raised surfaces have a height greater than a thickness of said front face of said sign housing to extend outwardly through said plurality of slotted apertures beyond said front face.

4. A sign assembly comprising:

a sign housing having a front face with at least one aperture formed therein defining a predetermined shape;

a lens connected to said sign housing and including a raised surface in a hollow portion of the lens protruding through said at least one aperture in at least a portion of said predetermined shape;

and at least one light element connected to and behind said lens opposite said sign housing and illuminating said raised surface in said at least one aperture,

the sign housing having an outer periphery and an inner lens receptacle spaced inwardly of the outer periphery and extending about an area of the front face containing the at least one said aperture, and

a lens housing with an internal lens cavity disposed in the lens receptacle and containing said at least one light element therein.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sign housing includes a rear face opposing said front face and peripheral side walls connected between said rear and front faces providing a sign cavity.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the sign housing further includes a rear face opposing said front face and peripheral side walls connected between said rear and front faces providing said outer periphery and a sign cavity, and wherein said rear and front faces have ribs that cooperate to form said lens receptacle.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said sign housing includes a conductor channel formed between said front and rear faces in communication with said lens receptacle.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said lens housing includes an aperture for allowing conducting wires of said at least one light element to extend into said conductor channel via said lens receptacle.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 further including a plurality of slotted apertures including said at least one aperture defining said predetermined shape and wherein said lens receptacle extends about an area of the front face containing the plurality of slotted apertures.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said sign housing includes a channel formed between said front and rear faces for allowing conducting wires to extend therethrough within said sign housing to said aperture formed in said sides.

12. A sign assembly comprising:

a sign housing having a front face with at least one aperture formed therein defining a predetermined shape;

a lens connected to said sign housing and including a raised surface in a portion of the lens protruding through said at least one aperture in at least a portion of said predetermined shape;

at least one light element connected to and behind said lens opposite said sign housing and illuminating said raised surface in said at least one aperture;

said lens including a sealed lens housing with an internal lens cavity containing said at least one light element therein;

said sign housing including a rear face opposing said front face and peripheral side walls connected between said rear and front faces providing a sign cavity, and

said sign housing comprises a front molded half and a rear molded half, said front molded half and said rear molded half each including side walls extending therefrom to mating edges to form said peripheral side walls for sealing said sign housing.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said peripheral side walls taper from one another from said mating edges to said faces.

14. A Sign assembly comprising:

a sign housing having a front face with an aperture formed therein defining predetermined shape;

a lens connected to said sign housing and including a raised surface in a portion of the lens protruding through said aperture in at least a portion of said predetermined shape;

a light element connected to and behind said lens opposite said sign housing and illuminating and raised surface in said aperture;

said lens including a lens housing with an internal lens cavity containing said light element therein; and

said lens housing including front and rear opposing lens faces having interconnecting sides defining said lens cavity and to seal said lens housing.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said lens housing includes an aperture formed in said sides for allowing conducting wires of said at least one light element to extend therethrough.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said sign housing includes a rear face opposing said front face and peripheral side walls connected between said rear and front faces providing a sign cavity;

wherein each of front and rear opposing faces of said sign housing each include a plurality of slotted apertures therethrough including said at least one aperture, and wherein each of said rear and front opposing lens faces include raised surfaces, including said raised surface.

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said predetermined shape defines the word STOP.

19. A sign assembly comprising:

a sign housing having a front face with at least one aperture formed therein defining a predetermined shape;

a lens connected to said sign housing and including a raised surface in a portion of the lens protruding through said at least one aperture in at least a portion of said predetermined shape;

at least one light element connected to and behind said lens opposite said sign housing and illuminating said raised surface in said aperture, and

a reflective sheet of material secured to said front face about said aperture.

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said sign housing has a rear face and peripheral side walls connected to one another between said front and rear faces providing a sign cavity.

21. An assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein a second reflective sheet of material is secured to said rear face.