Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Illuminated sign – Edge illuminated
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-02
2001-06-05
Green, Brian K. (Department: 3628)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Illuminated sign
Edge illuminated
C040S542000, C362S812000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240664
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an illuminated sign and to a sign plate for an illuminated sign.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Edge-illuminated signs are known in which a transparent plastics sheet is illuminated by a light source disposed along one edge thereof so that light passes through the sheet material in a direction along the plane of the sheet. An image to be displayed is formed on one of the faces of the sheet whereby the light contrast between the image and the remainder of the sheet increases the visual impact of the image to a person viewing the sign. A typical known edge-illuminated sign as illustrated in FIG.
1
.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a transparent plastics sheet
2
, typically of acrylic plastic material, which is rectangular in shape has one edge
4
thereof received in a lamp housing
6
in which an elongate bulb
7
, typically a fluorescent bulb, and electrical fittings
9
therefor are received, the bulb extending substantially along the length of the edge
4
. In use, an end cap
8
is fitted over each end
10
of the lamp housing
6
. In
FIG. 1
, which is a partially exploded view, one end cap
8
is shown in its removed configuration and the bulb and electrical fittings
9
are partially removed so that the edge
4
of the sheet
2
is readily visible. The sheet
2
is provided either on its frontmost face
12
of its rearmost face
14
, the direction being with respect to the intended position of a view of the sign, with an image
16
. The image
16
may be formed by engraving the surface of the sheet
2
or by printing a partially transmissive printed ink layer on the surface of the sheet, for example by screen printing. When the bulb
7
is illuminated, light emitted from the bulb
7
passes along the sheet
2
from the edge
4
and is internally reflected at the sheet/air interfaces. When the image
16
is engraved, light passing along the sheet
2
is reflected and refracted at the engraved edges thereby illuminating the edge of the image
16
. When the image
16
is printed, the internally reflected light is incident on the rear surface of the image
16
and is partially transmitted to the front surface of the image
16
thereby to provide an illuminated image.
When the image is engraved this increases the cost and complexity of manufacture of the illuminated sign. When the image is printed, the degree of contrast of the image is not particularly high and so the sign is not particularly effective in ambient conditions of high light intensity. Furthermore, for both prior arrangements the nature of the images which can be conveyed by the signs is relatively limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,019 and WO-A-93/07605 are both in the name of the present inventor and relate to sign plates for illuminated signs. Both of these prior specifications disclose a sign plate for an illuminated sign which is intended to be illuminated by a light source disposed behind a rearmost face of the sign plate.
An aim of the present invention is to provide an improved edge-illuminated sign. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an edge-illuminated sign which can be manufactured cost-effectively and can provide enhanced illumination of the image as compared to known edge-illuminated signs. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an edge-illuminated sign which enables a wide variety of images to be displayed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides an illuminated sign comprising a light source, a transparent sheet having one edge thereof which one edge is assembled adjacent the light source of receiving light therefrom which, in use, is transmitted along the transparent sheet, a front image layer which is disposed on a front face of the transparent sheet and has a rearwardly-directed reflective surface and a rear image layer which is disposed on a rear face of the transparent sheet substantially in registry with the front image layer whereby, in use, light is reflected from the reflective surface onto the rear image layer thereby to enhance the illumination of the rear image layer.
The present invention further provides a sign plate for an edge-illuminated sign, the sign plate comprising a transparent sheet having one transparent edge thereof for receiving from a light source light for transmission along the transparent sheet, a front image layer which is disposed on a front face of the transparent sheet and has a rearwardly-directed reflective surface and a rear image layer which is disposed on a rear face of the transparent sheet substantially in registry with the front image layer whereby, in use, light is reflected from the reflective surface onto the rear image layer thereby to enhance the illumination of the rear image layer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 478204 (1892-07-01), McGimsey
patent: 1725206 (1929-08-01), Petersen
patent: 1786155 (1930-12-01), Farrell
patent: 1805798 (1931-05-01), Bedrossyan
patent: 1887523 (1932-11-01), Schenkel
patent: 1975690 (1934-10-01), Harrington et al.
patent: 2071239 (1937-02-01), Spencer et al.
patent: 2107860 (1938-02-01), Gilbert
patent: 2213868 (1940-09-01), Lucian
patent: 2262930 (1941-11-01), Gasper
patent: 2374323 (1945-04-01), Bihr
patent: 2594903 (1952-04-01), Freedman et al.
patent: 2689917 (1954-09-01), Switzer
patent: 2707346 (1955-05-01), Fuller, Jr.
patent: 2810225 (1957-10-01), Hardesty
patent: 2886911 (1959-05-01), Hardesty
patent: 3131670 (1964-05-01), Hardesty
patent: 3270201 (1966-08-01), Hardesty
patent: 3583298 (1971-06-01), Van Swearingen
patent: 3771245 (1973-11-01), Mabrey et al.
patent: 3978599 (1976-09-01), Berger
patent: 4106859 (1978-08-01), Doriguzzi et al.
patent: 4424449 (1984-01-01), O'Brill
patent: 4507888 (1985-04-01), Robinson et al.
patent: 4583766 (1986-04-01), Wessel
patent: 4891896 (1990-01-01), Boren
patent: 5009019 (1991-04-01), Erlendsson et al.
patent: 5273796 (1993-12-01), Elbing et al.
patent: 5414947 (1995-05-01), Hjaltason
patent: 5682697 (1997-11-01), Hjaltason
patent: 5829177 (1998-11-01), Hjaltason
patent: 3715127 (1988-09-01), None
patent: 496482 (1938-11-01), None
Pending, Hjaltason Patent Application No.: 08/963,002, Inventor: Hjaltason, Filing Date: Nov. 3, 1997.
Airlite Unlimited
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Green Brian K.
LandOfFree
Illuminated sign and sign plate therefor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Illuminated sign and sign plate therefor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Illuminated sign and sign plate therefor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2547322