Alpha-numeric display package

Claim 1

A package for selectively displaying one of a plurality of alpha-numeric characters using a plurality of discrete, lightemitting diodes, each diode providing a point source of light corresponding to a segment of said characters when electrically activated, comprising: a substrate having arranged laterally thereupon a plurality of light-emitting diodes in the general shape of the necessary segments of all the alpha-numeric characters to be displayed; a single block of material adjacent said substrate having two opposed parallel faces, the first face lying adjacent to said substrate; a plurality of light pipes in the shape of said character segments extending completely through said block from said first face to the opposite one, a different one of said pipes being aligned with a corresponding one of said diodes, the walls of each light pipe being reflective, whereby the light emitted from each electrically activated diode is passed Through its corresponding light pipe; and a composite lens covering the second opposite face of said block, said lens comprising a plurality of fly''s eye lenses in close proximity with each other, said composite lens at least covering the ends of all of said light pipes where they extend to said second opposite face, whereby the light from each electrically activated light-emitting diode is passed through its corresponding light pipe and then through said composite lens, thereby optically displaying on said lens all the segments of the alpha-numeric character selected by the electrical activation of one or a plurality of said lightemitting diodes.