Equipment for displaying alphanumerical and/or pictorial information, preferably for use on a vehicle

Claim 1

An equipment for selectively displaying alphanumerical and/or pictorial information, preferably for use on vehicles, comprising: a matrix-type display board including passive, two-state dots arranged in at least one column, the display board comprising a plate having a ground-color painted surface (11) wherein at least one aperture (12) is formed adjacent and parallel to each dot in said column of dots, a plurality of tiltable masks (41, 51) arranged behind said apertures (12), a plurality of tilting means, each for tilting a respective one of said masks through an associated one of said apertures (12) for covering in a tilted state one dot of the surface (11) of said plate, and for uncovering in a home state said one dot, the color of at least a portion of an outer surface of said masks being different from the said ground-color, each said tilting means comprising two levers (44, 45, 54, 55) mounted at different heights and angle positions and attached to the respective mask (41, 51), said first lever (44, 54), when in the tilted state of the mask (41, 51), extending beyond an actuating plane (36), and the second lever (45, 55), when in the home position of the mask (41, 51), extending beyond the said actuating plane (36) so that said levers (44, 45, 54, 55) at said states of the mask (41, 51), respectively, extend into the path of an actuating carriage (65) arranged behind said plate, said actuating carriage (65) being coupled with a drive, said path running along the plate parallel to said column, said actuating carriage (65) carrying actuating devices (39), one for each of said dots in said column, said actuating devices (39) being arranged along a line lying perpendicular to said column, each actuating device (39) including a fixed first pin (37) and a second actuating pin (38) having a rest and an actuated position, and, means coupling an electromechanical switch to said second actuating pins for selecting said actuated position to selectively operate said display.