Sign plate for illuminated sign

Claim 1

A sign plate for an illuminated sign having a light source and visual communication matter illuminated thereby, the sign plate comprising: a sheet of ultraviolet-transmitting material having a front face for attracting a viewer's eye and a rear face for receiving rays from the light source; an opaque reflective layer applied to one face of the sheet, the integrity of the layer being broken by zones forming a configuration that defines the matter to be communicated, a fluorescent material for activation by the light source, the fluorescent material having front and rear surfaces with edges joining these surfaces, the edges forming the outline of the configuration that defines the matter to be communicated, the rear surface of the fluorescent material being affixed to the front face of the sheet such that the fluorescent material is in register with and fully covering the zones forming the configuration in the opaque layer; and an opaque light reflective layer applied to the front surface of the fluorescent material without completely covering the zones, the light reflective layer (1) creating a core area in the midst of the outline, which, when subjected to the light source is unilluminated from the viewer's perspective by the light source and (2) causing an aura around the configuration when subjected to the light source resulting in an enhancement of the illuminated outline from the viewer's perspective.