US4724629A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Illuminated display board
Assignee: MICRO DISPLAY DEVICES Ltd
•
Filing: 1986-04-16
•
Granted: 1988-02-16
•
Expires: 2006-04-16
Abstract
Abstract An illuminated display assembly fits into an opening in a display board such as a sports scoreboard. The display assembly includes an indicator module containing a front panel having a plurality of light transmitting data indicating areas arranged thereon with a plurality of chambers mounted behind the front panel. Each chamber is associated with one of the data indicating areas and encloses light sources therein which illuminate the data indicating areas when energized. A light source module includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of light sources mounted thereto. When the light source module and indicator modules are assembled together, the light sources from the former project into the chambers in the latter to form a finished display.
Inventors
- 👤 Roger Walton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:31
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F9/00; G09F9/30; G09F9/307; G09F13/00; G09F13/04; G09F13/0418; G09F13/0422; G09F9/302; G09F9/3023; G09F13/14; G09F2013/145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
An illuminated display assembly comprising: a front panel; a plurality of light transmitting data indicating areas arranged on said front panel; a plurality of discrete light sources behind each data indicating area of said front panel said plurality of light sources being mounted on a substrate to form a light source module; a plurality of chambers mounted directly to a back surface of said front panel to form an indicator module, each of said chambers being associated with one of said data indicating areas and enclosing the light sources behind the associated data indicating area, said chambers having reflective interior surfaces to reflect light from the light sources enclosed therein through the associated data indicating area of the front panel, means for securing said plurality of light sources to said indicator module, the securing means comprising openings in each of said chambers for receiving the light sources therein, each of said openings being sized so that said plurality of discrete light sources contact said openings to secure said light source module to said indicator module.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
An illuminated display assembly comprising: a front panel; a plurality of light transmitting data indicating areas arranged on said front panel; a plurality of discrete light sources behind each data indicating area of said front panel said plurality of light sources being mounted on a substrate to form a light source module; a plurality of chambers mounted directly to a back surface of said front panel to form an indicator module, each of said chambers being associated with one of said data indicating areas and enclosing the light sources behind the associated data indicating area, said chambers having reflective interior surfaces to reflect light from the light sources enclosed therein through the associated data indicating area of the front panel, means for securing said plurality of light sources to said indicator module, the securing means comprising openings in each of said chambers for receiving the light sources therein, each of said openings being sized so that said plurality of discrete light sources contact said openings to secure said light source module to said indicator module.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said chambers comprise vacuum formed plastic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said chambers comprise injection molded plastic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of chambers are formed in a single member that is mounted to the back surface of said front panel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The display assembly of claim 1 further comprising means for connecting said light sources on said substrate to electrical energization means for illuminating the light sources in a desired pattern corresponding to information to be displayed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The display assembly of claim 5 wherein said substrate is a printed circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The display assembly of claim 5 wherein said assembly further comprises means for securing said light source module and said indicator module to a common support.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The display assembly of claim 7 wherein said plurality of chambers are formed in a single member that is mounted to the back surface of said front panel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The display assembly of claim 7 wherein said light source module is attached to said common support with the substrate behind an opening in the support and with the light sources facing forwardly toward said support opening and the indicator module is fitted over the light source module with the light sources projecting through the chamber openings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The display assembly of claim 9 wherein the periphery of said indicator module is secured to the common support around the periphery of the support opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said front panel is a polycarbonate sheet with a non-reflective finish on an outer face thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said front panel includes data indicating areas of a desired color on an inner face thereof and a contrasting color on the inner face in an area not covered by said desired color.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said data indicating areas are arranged to form segments of a seven segment display capable of displaying any number between 0 and 9 by appropriate selective energization of the light sources.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The display assembly of claim 1 wherein said front panel is of a transparent material having coating means to form said data indicating areas by defusing light through said front panel whereby the plurality of discrete light sources appear as a single light source.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CH28452A
Cited
GB245492A
Cited
GB386189A
Cited
US2137360A
Cited
US2230152A
Cited
GB625049A
Cited
US3163949A
Cited
US3197904A
Cited
GB1104303A
Cited
GB1247380A
Cited
US3545114A
Cited
DE2115192A1
Cited
US3810168A
Cited
US3723961A
Cited
GB1363169A
Cited
US3858341A
Cited
US3768188A
Cited
US3924227A
Cited
US3972139A
Cited
DE2643036A1
Cited
US4254453A
Cited
US4336580A
Cited
US4345308A
Cited
FR2495804A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-15 | 1991-08-17 | 1992-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-15 | 1995-08-17 | 1996-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-15 | 1999-08-17 | 2000-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |