US3660919A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical annunciator
Assignee: Amerace Corp
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Filing: 1970-06-26
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Granted: 1972-05-09
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Expires: 1990-06-26
Abstract
Abstract An optical annunciator in which any one of alternate visual displays is revealed for viewing over the entire obverse surface of a lenticulate lens by the displacement of display means juxtaposed with the reverse surface of the lenticulate lens, the display means including alternate visual displays, each divided into portions, each portion of a display being located between adjacent portions of another display, and masking means for blocking from view those portions of the display means which do not form a part of the revealed display.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert I Nagel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:34
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F11/00; G08; G08B; G08B5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
353 words
An optical annunciator for selectively revealing one of alternate visual displays foR viewing along a given direction of view, said optical annunciator comprising: a lenticulate lens having an obverse surface including a plurality of elongate lenticular lens elements of prescribed lateral width, each having a plane of symmetry aligned generally parallel with the direction of view and dividing said width, and a reverse surface including a plurality of areas corresponding to said lenticular lens elements, each said area being centered about the plane of symmetry of a corresponding lenticular lens element and having a lateral width between opposite edges less than the lateral width of said corresponding lenticular lens element such that adjacent areas are spaced from one another in directions transverse to the planes of symmetry, the contour of each lenticular lens element being such that each said area of the reverse surface is viewable along said direction of view at the obverse surface over essentially the entire corresponding lenticular lens element; display means juxtaposed with the reverse surface and including alternate visual displays, each display being divided into a set of discrete portions with each discrete portion of one set being located between adjacent discrete portions of another set, each discrete portion having a lateral extent corresponding generally to the lateral width of each said area, and corresponding parts of adjacent portions of each set being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent planes of symmetry such that all of the portions of one set may be simultaneously juxtaposed with said areas; opaque masking means centered between said planes of symmetry for blocking from view, along directions at angles to said planes of symmetry, further of said discrete portions which do not form a part of said one set; and means for selectively moving said display means in increments of displacement transverse to the planes of symmetry of the lenticular lens elements, each said increment corresponding at least to the width of each said area of the reverse surface such that any one of said alternate sets may be located for viewing over essentially the entire obverse surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
353 words
An optical annunciator for selectively revealing one of alternate visual displays foR viewing along a given direction of view, said optical annunciator comprising: a lenticulate lens having an obverse surface including a plurality of elongate lenticular lens elements of prescribed lateral width, each having a plane of symmetry aligned generally parallel with the direction of view and dividing said width, and a reverse surface including a plurality of areas corresponding to said lenticular lens elements, each said area being centered about the plane of symmetry of a corresponding lenticular lens element and having a lateral width between opposite edges less than the lateral width of said corresponding lenticular lens element such that adjacent areas are spaced from one another in directions transverse to the planes of symmetry, the contour of each lenticular lens element being such that each said area of the reverse surface is viewable along said direction of view at the obverse surface over essentially the entire corresponding lenticular lens element; display means juxtaposed with the reverse surface and including alternate visual displays, each display being divided into a set of discrete portions with each discrete portion of one set being located between adjacent discrete portions of another set, each discrete portion having a lateral extent corresponding generally to the lateral width of each said area, and corresponding parts of adjacent portions of each set being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent planes of symmetry such that all of the portions of one set may be simultaneously juxtaposed with said areas; opaque masking means centered between said planes of symmetry for blocking from view, along directions at angles to said planes of symmetry, further of said discrete portions which do not form a part of said one set; and means for selectively moving said display means in increments of displacement transverse to the planes of symmetry of the lenticular lens elements, each said increment corresponding at least to the width of each said area of the reverse surface such that any one of said alternate sets may be located for viewing over essentially the entire obverse surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The optical annunciator of claim 1 wherein said discrete portions of each display include a photoluminescent material responsive to incident ambient light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical annunciator of claim 1 wherein said masking means includes a grid having bars contiguous with the opposite edges of each said area of the reverse surface and extending between confronting edges of adjacent areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The optical annunciator of claim 3 wherein said bars include stripes of opaque material upon the reverse surface between said confronting edges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The optical annunciator of claim 4 wherein the reverse surface includes a plurality of recesses, each recess being located between said adjacent areas, and said opaque material is placed within said recesses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The optical annunciator of claim 4 wherein said masking means includes further stripes of opaque material upon said display means between adjacent discrete portions of the alternate visual displays, said further stripes overlapping corresponding stripes of opaque material upon the reverse surface when any one of said alternate sets of discrete portions is located for viewing over essentially the entire obverse surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
The optical annunciator of claim 4 wherein: the reverse surface includes a plurality of recesses, each recess being located between said adjacent areas; first stripes of opaque material placed within said recesses; and second stripes of opaque material upon said display means between adjacent discrete portions of the alternate visual displays, said second stripes overlapping corresponding first stripes of opaque material when one of said alternate sets of discrete portions is located for viewing over essentially the entire obverse surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
87 words
The optical annunciator of claim 1 wherein: the lenticular lens elements extend parallel to onE another and the planes of symmetry are parallel; the discrete portions of each display include laterally spaced parallel strips which, when integrated, form a complete visual display; and the means for selectively moving the display means includes a carrier movable in increments of lateral displacement and having a surface juxtaposed with the reverse surface of the lenticulate lens, said parallel strips being located upon said surface for lateral movement with the carrier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The optical annunciator of claim 8 wherein said strips include a photoluminescent material responsive to incident ambient light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The optical annunciator of claim 8 wherein each lenticular lens element extends along a straight line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optical annunciator of claim 10 wherein the lenticulate lens lies in a plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The optical annunciator of claim 8 wherein each lenticular lens element extends along an arc.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The optical annunciator of claim 12 wherein the arcs of all of the lenticular lens elements are of equal radius and the lenticulate lens is a portion of a cylinder.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
The optical annunciator of claim 8 wherein: the display means includes at least two alternate visual displays; and the means for selectively moving the display means includes a quick-acting mechanism for rapidly moving the carrier laterally between a first position where the strips of one of said two alternate visual displays are juxtaposed with said plurality of areas of the reverse surface of the lenticulate lens and a second position where the strips of the other of said two alternate visual displays are juxtaposed with said plurality of areas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
126 words
The optical annunciator of claim 8 wherein: the display means includes at least two alternate visual displays, each strip of a display having a lateral width no greater than one-half the width of a corresponding juxtaposed lenticular lens element; each said area of the reverse surface has a lateral width no greater than one-half the width of a corresponding lenticular lens element; and the masking means includes a grid having longitudinal parallel bars contiguous with the opposite edges of each said area and extending between confronting edges of adjacent areas, said bars including longitudinal parallel stripes of opaque material upon the reverse surface between said confronting edges, said stripes having a lateral width of no less than one-half the width of a corresponding lenticular lens element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
The optical annunciator of claim 15 wherein the reverse surface of the lenticulate lens includes a plurality of longitudinal parallel recesses located between said adjacent areas, said recesses each having a lateral width of no less than one-half the lateral width of a corresponding lenticular lens element, and said opaque material is located within said recesses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
100 words
The optical annunciator of claim 15 wherein: the strips of each display have a lateral width of slightly less than one-half the width of a corresponding lenticular lens element and the lateral distance between corresponding parts of adjacent strips of both of said two displays is one-half the width of a corresponding lenticular lens element so that said adjacent strips are laterally spaced apart slightly; and the masking means includes further stripes of opaque material upon said display means within the spacing between said adjacent strips, said further stripes overlapping corresponding stripes of the opaque material on the reverse surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
151 words
The optical annunciator of claim 15 wherein: the reverse surface of the lenticulate lens includes a plurality of longitudinal parallel recesses located between said adjacent areas, said recesses each having a lateral width of no less than one-half the lateral width of a corresponding lenticular lens element, said opaque material being located within said recesses; the strips of each display have a lateral width of slightly less than one-half the width of a corresponding lenticular lens Element and the lateral distance between corresponding parts of adjacent strips of both of said two displays in one-half the width of a corresponding lenticular lens element so that said adjacent strips are laterally spaced apart slightly; and the masking means includes further stripes of opaque material upon said display means within the spacing between said adjacent strips, said further stripes overlapping corresponding stripes of the opaque material within the recesses in the reverse surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The optical annunciator of claim 18 wherein each lenticular lens element extends along a straight line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optical annunciator of claim 19 wherein the lenticulate lens lies in a plane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The optical annunciator of claim 18 wherein each lenticular lens element extends along an arc.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The optical annunciator of claim 21 wherein the arcs of all of the lenticular lens elements are of equal radius and the lenticulate lens is a portion of a cylinder.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
98 words
The optical annunciator of claim 18 wherein the means for selectively moving the display means includes a quick-acting mechanism for rapidly moving the carrier through an increment of lateral displacement equal to the lateral distance between corresponding parts of said adjacent strips on the carrier between a first position where the strips of one of said two alternate visual displays are juxtaposed with said plurality of areas of the reverse surface of the lenticulate lens and a second position where the strips of the other of said two alternate visual displays are juxtaposed with said plurality of areas.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The optical annunciator of claim 18 wherein said strips include a photoluminescent material responsive to incident ambient light.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-09 | 1975-11-08 | 1976-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-09 | 1979-11-08 | 1980-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-11-08 | 1984-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |