Channel letters

Details Channel letters Channel letters

1999-02-01

2001-03-20

Davis, Cassandra (Department: 3628)

Card, picture, or sign exhibiting

Illuminated sign

Lamp box

C040S552000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06202333

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to channel letters of the type used to create signage, and in particular to an improved method of manufacturing a channel letter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Channel letters are used to provide signage for buildings, shopping malls, and the like where it is desirable that the signage comprise illuminated letters or any other shapes that are easily seen, even a great distance, even at night. Each channel letter consists of an enclosure, usually a metal box, having a rear surface which is positioned against a raceway, the wall of the building or the like, on which the signage is mounted and a plurality of sides which define the figuration of the letter or shape. A light source, such as a neon tube or other light source is positioned within the walls of the enclosure and attached to the rear surface to provide illumination for the letter.
The channel letter also includes a planar, transparent lens, the outer shape of which corresponds to the figuration of the letter or any other shape as defined by the sides of the enclosure. The lens has a trim cap glued to the outer edges thereof which form a border to the lens and create a lip sized to fit snugly around the forward ends of the sides of the enclosure for retaining the lens to the enclosure. Screws are threaded through the lips of the trim cap and into the sides to retain the lens across the forward opening of the enclosure.
The manufacture of channel letters requires that a metal box be made having a back and sides with the sides defining the figuration of the letter or shape. The manufacture of the lens requires that a planar panel of transparent plastic be cut to the shape of the enclosure and that the trim cap be glued to the outer edges of the lens. The process of gluing the trim cap around the edges of the lens, however, is labor intensive and it is, therefore, expensive to manufacture the lens which fits across the forward ends of the enclosure of a channel letter.
It would be desirable to provide a channel letter having a lens which could be manufactured without incurring the labor intensive step of requiring the attachment of a trim cap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention is embodied in a channel letter. For the purposes of this description, a channel letter is defined as including a letter of the alphabet, a numeral, an element of punctuation such as a comma, an exclamation point, or any other shape or form.
The channel letter of the present invention has a rear surface for mounting against a raceway, wall, or a structure for supporting the signage, and sides defining the figuration of the letter or shape to be depicted. A lighting element, such as a neon tube or any other light source is positioned against the rear surface of the enclosure and defines the shape of the letter to provide illumination therefore.
To retain the lens to the open front of the enclosure, a shoulder is provided along the inner surface of the sides thereof where the shoulder defines a plane parallel to the outer ends of the sides but is recessed therefrom. A planar transparent lens having an outer edge which is in the shape of the letter and sized to fit within the sides of the enclosure is retained against the shoulder by a suitable retaining means such as screws or the like.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1697501 (1929-01-01), Gast
patent: 2902787 (1959-09-01), Cook
patent: 4796170 (1989-01-01), Pederson et al.
patent: 2729777 (1979-01-01), None
patent: 1091509 (1955-04-01), None

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