Mirror display

• US 6,543,163 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magic Photo LLC
• Original Assignee: Peter William Ginsberg
• Inventors: Ginsberg, Peter William
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, William L.
• Application Number:
  US10/009,935
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 402/19, 405/64, 405/77, 405/79, 405/80, 409/00
• US Class Current: 40/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/14 Arrangements of reflectors therein
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 40/90 Mirror that has changing effect

Abstract

An illuminating display is provided a reflective panel having a graphical image formed therein. A laser is used to precisely etch the graphics pattern in an optically active surface, such as a mirrored surface. The graphical image is then reproduced on a paper carrier, and then brought into precise registration behind the laser-etched image. Upon backlighting, such as in a light box, the graphical image projects from the surrounding mirrored (reflecting) surface.

Claims

1. A reflective panel comprising:

a substantially transparent base panel;

a reflective layer attached to said transparent base panel, a selected portion of said reflective layer removed to form a graphic opening, said reflective layer including more than one of said graphical openings;

a carrier layer having a graphical image formed thereon attached to said reflective layer, said graphical image and said graphic opening in registration with one another; and

an optical laminate layer interleaved between and attached to both said reflective layer and said carrier layer, wherein said base panel is a panel of acrylic plastic and said reflective layer is a mirrored surface formed thereon.

2. A reflective panel according to claim 1, wherein said reflective layer includes more than one of said graphical openings and wherein said carrier layer has more than one graphical image formed thereon, each of said more than one graphical image is in registration with a separate, specific one of said more than one graphical openings.

3. A reflective panel according to claim 2, wherein said carrier layer is a sheet of paper and said graphical image is a quasi-die sublimation image.

4. A reflective panel according to claim 2, and further comprising:

a light box having a front face on which is mounted said substantially transparent base panel with said attached reflective layer and said carrier layer, said light box and said base panel defining an interior space; and

a light source attached to said light box and located within said interior space.

5. A reflective panel according to claim 2, wherein said reflective layer is an optically active surface.

6. A reflective panel according to claim 5, wherein said reflective layer is a holographic reflective surface.

7. A reflective panel comprising:

a substantially transparent base layer having an optically active surface, said optically active surface having at least one graphic opening formed therein by laser

a graphics layer attached to said optically active surface, said graphics layer having at least one graphic image formed thereon at a location and of a size such that each of said at least one graphic image precisely registers with a specific one of said at least one graphic opening; and

an optical laminate received between and attached to both said optically active surface and to said graphics layer, wherein said graphics layer is a piece of paper and said at least one image is a digital image,

whereby control of the laser etching on said optically active surface and placement and formation of the at least one graphic image on said graphic layer utilizes a same set of information.

8. A reflective panel comprising:

a substantially transparent base panel;

a reflective layer attached to said transparent base panel, a selected portion of said reflective layer removed to form a graphic opening;

a carrier layer having a graphical image formed thereon attached to said reflective layer, said graphical image and said graphic opening in registration with one another; and

an optical laminate layer interleaved between and attached to both said reflective layer and said carrier layer.

9. A reflective panel for mounting in a light box, comprising:

a substantially transparent base layer having an optically active surface, said optically active surface having at least one graphic opening formed therein by laser etching;

a graphics layer attached to said optically active surface, said graphics layer having at least one graphic image formed thereon at a location and of a size such that each of said at least one graphic image precisely registers with a specific one of said at least one graphic opening; and

an optical laminate received between and attached to both said optically active surface and to said graphics layer,

whereby control of the laser etching on said optically active surface and placement and formation of the at least one graphic image on said graphic layer utilizes a same set of information.