Sign construction with modular wire harness arrangements and methods of using same for backside to frontside power and data distribution schemes

• US 9,666,105 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADTI Media LLC
• Original Assignee: ADTI Media LLC
• Inventors: Cox, David Franklin, Carlson, Arne E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILAKOVICH, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US15/195,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20160307476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 361622, 361826, 40544, 40624
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0012 frames therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0018 panel clamping or fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0037 supported by a post
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/008 Sun shades, shades, hoods or louvres on electronic displays to minimise the effect of direct sun light on the display
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A large format billboard type electronic sign having an anchored mounting structure, comprises at least one structural frame configured to be mounted to from a front side surface of the anchored mounting structure, and the at least one structural frame defines a plurality of structural bay members configured in adjacent columns for receiving and removably supporting therein a corresponding plurality of weatherized display modules; and at least one preformed wiring harness for routing low voltage power within the plurality of structural bay members, wherein the at least one preformed wiring harness is provided with at least one power introduction node to facilitate providing separate power branches for distributing power between adjacent columns of the structural bay members and at least one structural bay locator node to facilitate providing a low voltage power branch to at least an individual one of said plurality of structural bay members.

Claims

1. A billboard sign having a plurality of display modules mechanically coupled to a signage mounting structure, comprising:

a plurality of compound structural frames mounted to a front area of the signage mounting structure and arranged in a frame array, wherein each individual one of said plurality of compound structural frames is provided with a plurality of structural bay members, each individual structural bay member for receiving and supporting therein an individual one of said plurality of display modules;

at least one low voltage junction box mounted to a back-side area of the signage mounting structure for facilitating the distribution of a source of low voltage constant current power to the plurality of display modules;

at least one preformed wiring harness electrically and mechanically coupled between said at least one low voltage junction box and the plurality of display modules;

said at least one preformed wiring harness extending from said at least one low voltage junction box to a frontside of an individual one of said plurality of compound structural frames and then being mechanically coupled to an array of structural bay members;

wherein said preformed wiring harness includes a power introduction node for facilitating power branching between adjacent compound structural frames in said frame array; and

wherein said power introduction node is dimensioned to be mechanically press fit into a corresponding power introduction node receptacle for providing a wire harness anchoring point in said frame array.

2. The billboard sign according to claim 1, wherein each individual one of said plurality of compound structural frames is provided with a pilot hole feature, said pilot hole feature being disposed in a bottom row of the individual ones of said plurality of compound structural frames for providing a visual indication of the front and bottom orientation of the individual structural frames for frame mounting purposes;

wherein at least one row of the individual ones of said plurality of compound structural frames is provided with a pair of node receptacles and wherein one of said pair of node receptacles is a power introduction node receptacle to facilitate establishing a power branching split between an upper one of the adjacent compound structural frames in said frame array and a lower one of the adjacent compound structural frames in said frame array when said frame array is supported from the front area of the signage mounting structure; and

wherein said pilot hole feature further provides another visual indication of a frame array access hole location to facilitate determining a backside mounting location of said at least one junction box for routing of said at least one preformed wiring harness from said at least one junction box to the plurality of display modules.

3. The billboard sign according to claim 1, wherein each individual one of said plurality of compound structural frames is provided with a plurality of spaced apart node receptacles for defining a pair of spaced apart predetermined cable routes, each cable route extending from a top structural bay member to a bottom structural bay member within the compound structural frame;

and wherein individual ones of the node receptacles are disposed in individual ones of the structural bay members to facilitate coupling low voltage power to individual ones of the plurality of display modules.

4. The billboard sign according to claim 3, wherein said at least one preformed wiring harness includes a junction box mounting end for mechanically and electrically coupling to said low voltage junction box and a plurality of power node mounting ends, each individual power node mounting end being dimensioned to mechanically engage an individual one of the node receptacles;

and wherein each individual power node mounting end includes a connector power cord extension for electrically and mechanically coupling said low voltage constant current power source to individual ones of the plurality of display modules.

5. The billboard sign according to claim 1, wherein each individual one of said plurality of compound structural frames is provided with pairs of harness pass-through openings to facilitate routing of said preformed wiring harness between two adjacent structural frame members.

6. The billboard sign according to claim 1, wherein each individual one of the structural bay members in said array of structural bay members is provided with at least one node receptacle to facilitate mechanically and electrically coupling said at least one preformed wiring harness to the plurality of display modules.

7. The billboard sign according to claim 1, wherein said at least one preformed wiring harness is provided with a plurality of preformed nodes, each individual one of said plurality of preformed nodes is dimensioned to be snapped or pressed into position in a corresponding wire harness node receptacle forming part of a plurality of node receptacles for mechanically securing said at least one preformed wiring harness within said structural frame and for electrically coupling the plurality of display modules to said source of low voltage constant current power.

8. The billboard sign according to claim 1, further comprising:

a utility power data controller box mounted to another back face area of the mounting structure to facilitate receiving electronic data and a universal source of electrical energy and for rectifying the universal source of universal power into a source of low voltage constant current power and for controlling data distribution to the plurality of display modules.

9. The billboard sign according to claim 8, further comprising:

at least one preformed data harness for coupling data from said utility power data controller box to the plurality of display modules.

10. The billboard sign according to claim 9, wherein each individual one of said plurality of structural frame members is provided with a plurality of data routing features to facilitate routing said at least one preformed data harness within an individual one of said plurality of structural frames.

11. The billboard sign according to claim 10, wherein each individual one of said plurality of structural frames is provided with a plurality of cut out areas to facilitate wire routing of said at least one preformed data harness within an individual one of said plurality of structural frames.

12. The billboard sign according to claim 9, wherein each individual one of the plurality of display modules is weatherized and is dimensioned to be received in an individual structural bay member to form with each adjacent display module a protective cover for said at least one preformed wiring harness and said at least one preformed data harness.

13. A billboard sign having signage mounting structure and plural display modules, comprising:

a low voltage junction box mounted to backside of the signage mounting structure for facilitating the distribution of a low voltage constant current power source to the plural display modules;

at least one structural frame having a front surface, a back surface, and a set of side peripheral surfaces for integrally connecting said front surface and said back surface to form a generally rectangularly shaped frame, said at least one structural frame being mounted to a front surface area of the signage mounting structure to facilitate mechanically coupling the plural display modules to a frontside of the signage mounting structure;

said at least one structural frame defining an array of display module receiving bays arranged in rows and columns;

at least one row of the display module receiving bays including a power introduction node receptacle feature to facilitate mechanically and electrically coupling said low voltage constant current power source to individual ones of the plural display modules; and

at least one preformed power harness having a junction box mounting end for mechanically and electrically coupling to said low voltage junction box and a plurality of power node mounting ends, each individual power node mounting end being configured to be secured into an individual node receptacle feature associated with an individual display module receiving bay to facilitate extending from the individual power node mounting end an electrical cord extension and display module connector for electrically coupling said low voltage constant current power source to an individual one of the plural display modules removably mounted in an individual one of the display module receiving bays.

14. The billboard sign according to claim 13, each display module receiving bay includes a complementary alignment feature for front loading an individual one of the plural display modules in sufficiently close proximity to said electrical cord extension and connector to electrically and mechanically coupled the individual one of the plural display modules to said at least one preformed power harness.

15. A large format billboard type electronic sign having an anchored mounting structure, the sign comprising:

at least one structural frame configured to be mounted to a front side surface of the mounting structure, said at least one structural frame defining a plurality of structural bay members configured in adjacent columns for receiving and removably supporting therein a corresponding plurality of weatherized display modules; and

at least one preformed wiring harness for routing low voltage power within said plurality of structural bay members, wherein said at least one preformed wiring harness is provided with at least one power introduction node to facilitate providing separate power branches for distributing power between adjacent columns of the structural bay members and at least one structural bay locator node to facilitate providing a low voltage power branch to at least an individual one of said plurality of structural bay members.

16. The large format sign according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the structural bay members is provided with a pair of receptacle features;

wherein one of said pair of receptacle features is dimensioned to secure therein said at least one power introduction node to facilitate providing separate power branches for distributing power between adjacent columns of the structural bay members and wherein another one of said pair of receptacle features is dimensioned to secure therein said at least one structural bay locator node to facilitate mechanically and electrically coupling low voltage power to a removably mounted individual one of said plurality of display modules; and

wherein said structural bay locator node includes an extension cord having disposed at its distal end a power connector to mechanically and electrically couple low voltage power to an individual one of the plurality of weatherized display modules.

17. The large format sign according to claim 15, wherein said at least one preformed wiring harness is further provided with a plurality of data connectors, each individual ones of said data connectors for interconnecting with a preformed data wiring harness to facilitate distributing data throughout the structural frame for utilization by each individual one of the plurality of weatherized display modules.

18. The large format sign according to claim 17, wherein said at least one structural frame includes a plurality of data connection wire routing receptacles, including a left side data connection wire routing receptacle to facilitate anchoring another preformed data wiring harness for interconnection between at least another structural frame having a right side portion thereof abutting a left side portion of said structural frame and a right side data connection wire routing receptacle to facilitate anchoring said preformed data wiring harness for interconnection between at least yet another structural frame having a left side portion thereof abutting a right side portion of said structural frame.

19. The large format sign according to claim 18, wherein said at least one structural frame further includes a central data connection wire routing receptacle to facilitate anchoring said preformed data wiring harness and said another preformed data wiring harness with an individual one of said structural bay members to further facilitate the distribution of data within said structural frame.

20. The large format sign according to claim 15, wherein said at least one structural frame is further provided with a pilot hole feature, said pilot hole feature being disposed in a bottom row of said plurality of structural bay members for providing a visual indication of the front and bottom orientation of the structural frame for frame mounting purposes to the anchored mounting structure;

and wherein said pilot hole feature further provides another visual indication of an access hole location to facilitate determining a back area mounting location of at least one electrical junction box for routing of said at least one preformed wiring harness from said at least one electrical junction box to a front face area of the least one structural frame.