EP0286109A2 - Luminous advertising display element - Google Patents

Abstract

A luminous advertising display element is described, consisting of an opaque lower shell in form of a flat box which is open at the front, and a lid-shaped upper shell which consists of a light-permeable front plate and a substantially circumferential groove and can be detachably locked to the lower shell, a light source being arranged in the lower shell, and the upper shell bearing advertising media which are illuminated by the light source at the back, the front plate of the upper shell being glass-clear and the advertising media being arranged on its interior surface. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an illuminated advertising element with the generic features of claim 1 and a large-area illuminated advertising system comprising a plurality of such illuminated advertising elements.

Such illuminated advertising elements and the large-area illuminated advertising systems composed of them have proven themselves in many ways in the past years because they can be produced relatively inexpensively with a large advertising effect and require little maintenance. In the known illuminated advertising elements and the systems composed of them, there are the waiters shells including their front plate made of plastic material (usually polymethacrylate), which is diffusely translucent in the manner of opal glass. In this way, the light emitted mostly by fluorescent tubes, which are arranged in the lower shell, is distributed quite largely over the surface of the front panel, and the secondary light emanating from this shines through the advertising material applied to the outside of the front panel, namely translucent lacquers or foils, which alternate with opaque coated surface sections if necessary.

Despite their fundamental advantages, the well-known illuminated advertising elements and the large-area systems based on them leave much to be desired. Above all, they cannot fulfill the desire to have the advertising message exchanged more frequently because the application of the advertising material is cumbersome and time-consuming.

The invention is therefore primarily based on the object of specifying a light advertising element of the generic type which derives new manifestations from the light advertising operated thereby and thus also enables other light advertising than was previously possible with these light advertising elements.

In its most general form, the invention solves this problem in that the front plate of the upper shell is crystal clear and the advertising material is arranged on its inner surface. In this way, a completely different function is assigned to the front plate of the upper shell than was the case in the prior art. The upper shell of the light distribution is no longer used tion, and the advertising material is no longer shone through by the secondary light which emanates from a front panel which diffuses the primary light. Rather, the primary light coming from the lower shell from the light source arranged there falls directly on the advertising means arranged in the upper shell, and the secondary light generated in it passes through the crystal-clear front plate of the upper shell.

The new concept opens up a wide range of options for further training. According to a first embodiment, the advertising means consist of two congruent posters one above the other, each of which has a paper layer and a one-sided printing layer applied using the offset method. It has been shown that the use of two conventional advertising posters results in a surprisingly high-contrast and richly colored reproduction of the poster display, as has been achieved with irradiated image carriers so far only with the help of expensive special foils and possibly their double-sided printing. This effect (a gradation that is significantly steeper compared to the single poster) is possibly due to the secondary light effect that the first poster facing the light source exerts on the second poster, which has the same cover. The crystal-clear front plate of the upper shell allows the self-illuminating image produced to emerge practically undiminished.

A further exemplary embodiment of the invention provides that the advertising means consist of material fluorescent under UV light and the light source is one Is UV light source. With this arrangement, surprising new effects can be achieved. So far, the use of so-called 'black lights' (in the UV range) for illuminated advertising elements of the type in question has been practically ruled out because the front panel of the upper shell acts like a UV filter and UV light only passes through to a very limited extent. The arrangement of the UV fluorescent material on the inside of the front panel, on the other hand, allows the fluorescence effect to develop fully, and the secondary fluorescent light is let through by the front panel of the upper shell almost unhindered.

For example, flexible hoses, which are attached to the inside of the upper shell front panel in a suitable manner, can be used to deceptively reproduce the impression of expensive neon tube light signs with little effort, and in a much less dirty and maintenance-prone manner.

It is even possible to run such 'neon tubes' over several adjoining illuminated advertising elements of a large-area system by letting the tubes of the frame of one element end and continuing on the frame of the neighboring element; The small gap is hardly noticeable and is also common for neon neon signs because the tubes cannot be made to be of any length and therefore have to be returned to the connection base at certain intervals, which also creates a gap.

It is obvious that the new conception of illuminated advertising elements of the present type in particular Rem dimensions requires the most uniform possible illumination of the entire area irradiated by the primary light of the light source (in the lower shell). This applies in particular to the embodiment described above as the first. In addition, the conventional illuminated advertising elements of the generic type and in particular the large-area illuminated advertising systems composed of them (despite the compensating effect of the diffuse-radiating upper shells) suffered from insufficient uniformity of the illuminated distribution over the front panel surface. A further development aspect of the invention is therefore aimed at improving the illumination in the sense of a uniform distribution of the light falling on the inside of the upper shell front plate.

In this respect, a further development of the invention provides for a light advertising element with an intermediate plate arranged between the upper shell front plate and the light source and fastened to the upper shell, that the intermediate plate consists of a light (by total reflection on the plane-parallel surfaces) of conductive material and in the edge and / or corner areas of its side facing the front panel is provided with surface injuries which allow light directed in the plane of the panel to exit essentially perpendicularly thereto.

It is known per se that plates made of certain plastics (namely polymethacrylate) have a light-conducting effect in the sense mentioned above, so that light directed in the plate plane emerges at the plate edges or also surface engravings etc. 'collected'. It makes this effect To use further development according to the invention by letting the light emerge from the surface of the intermediate plate onto the front plate in the marginal and in particular corner regions which are regularly shaded in conventional illuminated advertising elements.

It is also possible to arrange light-conducting fibers on an intermediate plate or film in such a way that they deflect the light coming from the light source into the edge and corner areas.

The same goal of more uniform light distribution on the front panel is used in such light advertising elements in which the light source is at least one fluorescent tube extending lengthwise through the lower shell, which according to a further aspect of the invention is the measure (which can generally be used advantageously with light advertising elements of the type described above) that the Bottom shell is formed in the region of the fluorescent tube to form a reflector surrounding it in the form of a polygon of elongated wall sections. If two parallel fluorescent tubes are arranged in the lower shell, the latter is formed into two corresponding parallel polygonal reflectors, a central longitudinal section of the bottom of the lower shell being drawn into an essentially prismatic rib projecting into the interior of the lower shell.

In terms of lighting technology, the orientation and arrangement of fluorescent tubes results in a preference for the edges of the illuminated advertising element which are parallel to the tube axis. Therefore, a further embodiment provides that in the end areas of the above spoken fluorescent tubes extending longitudinally through the lower shell are arranged transversely to these fluorescent tubes in the lower shell, either in the same plane as this or above. In the former case, in particular, the walls of the lower shell adjacent to the transverse fluorescent tubes are preferably also formed into polygonal reflector sections.

Of particular importance are the lighting measures used for uniform light distribution, especially for large-area systems made up of a plurality of rectangular illuminated advertising elements arranged closely next to one another. Apart from an actual reduction in the light density of the optical illusion in the edge zones of the illuminated advertising elements, the illusion of darker edge zones is reinforced by the fact that the edge between the front plate and the frame of the upper shell (both for optical reasons and because of the reduced wall thickness due to production) is relatively brighter Dash appears. With the single element, this is not noticeable in the optical comparison to the dark environment; but if such light advertising elements are directly adjacent to one another, the two 'bright lines' lead to the impression that the adjacent border zones of the light advertising elements are even darker than is actually the case.

• Fig. 1 einen ausschnittsweisen Querschnitt durch ein erfindungsgemäßes Lichtwerbeelement;
• Fig. 2 den in Fig. 1 mit X bezeichneten Aus­schnitt aus Fig. 1 in stark vergrößertem Maßstab;
• Fig. 3 in ausschnittsweisem Längsschicht benach­barte Ausschnitte zweier, zu einem groß­flächigen Lichtwerbesystem zusammenge­setzter Lichtwerbeelemente;
• Fig. 4 eine - mittig unterbrochene - Draufsicht auf eine offene Unterschale mit der Dar­stellung zweier verschiedener Ausfüh­rungsformen der Leuchtröhrenbestückung und der Unterschalenform;
• Fig. 5 einen Schnitt gemäß der Linie C-C in Fig. 4;
• Fig. 6 einen Schnitt gemäß der Linie A-A in Fig. 4;
• Fig. 7 einen Schnitt gemäß der Linie B-B in Fig. 4;
• Fig. 8 ein großflächiges Lichtwerbesystem aus insgesamt acht Lichtwerbeelementen in Draufsicht; und
• Fig. 9 eine - im Maßstab etwas vergrößerte - ­Seitenansicht des in Fig. 8 dargestell­ten Lichtwerbesystems.

The drawings illustrate the inventive aspects discussed above using exemplary embodiments. It shows:

• 1 shows a partial cross section through an illuminated advertising element according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 shows the detail from FIG. 1 designated X in FIG. 1 on a greatly enlarged scale;
• 3 shows, in a cut-out longitudinal layer, adjacent cutouts of two illuminated advertising elements combined to form a large-area illuminated advertising system;
• FIG. 4 shows a plan view, interrupted in the middle, of an open lower shell with the representation of two different embodiments of the lighting tube assembly and the lower shell shape; FIG.
• 5 shows a section along the line CC in Fig. 4.
• 6 shows a section along the line AA in FIG. 4;
• FIG. 7 shows a section along line BB in FIG. 4;
• 8 shows a large-area illuminated advertising system comprising a total of eight illuminated advertising elements in plan view; and
• FIG. 9 shows a side view of the illuminated advertising system shown in FIG. 8, somewhat enlarged in scale.

The lower shell 1 of the illuminated advertising element shown in FIG. 1 only in a small section consists in the usual way of opaque filled plastic and encloses a light source 2 in the form of a fluorescent tube extending perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The upper shell 3 is positively but releasably connected to the lower shell 1 by an essentially circumferential edge offset 4 of the lower shell 1 engaging in a similarly circumferential U-groove 5 on the edge of the upper shell 3. A lower shell 1a of an adjacent illuminated advertising element, which is only partially indicated by two thin lines, shows how such adjacent elements can be connected to one another in mutual alignment in order to produce a large-area illuminated advertising system (FIG. 8); the shapes and indentations of the lower shells shown for this purpose do not need to be discussed here.

The upper shell 3 consists of a front plate 6 and a frame 7 integrally molded thereon (which is continued in the U-groove 5 already mentioned). Immediately following the transition from the front plate 6 to the frame 7 (both are integrally drawn from a plastic plate), a circumferential bead 8 is formed, which has a corresponding circumferential groove 9 on the inside of the upper shell 3 - immediately following the inner surface of the front plate 6 - forms. In the groove 9, a pressure plate 10 can be inserted at the edge, which - as indicated - is convex in the idle state. In the fully assembled state, an intermediate plate 11 (which has light-distributing functions as a light grid or can serve as dust protection for the interior of the upper shell 3 and, of course, is translucent in any case) presses the pressure plate 10 with the aid of crystal-clear pins 12 from the idle state shown in broken lines solid operating position.

In this operating position, the pressure plate 10 presses the flat advertising medium 13 against the inner surface of the front plate 6. The enlargement of FIG. 2 makes it clear that the advertising medium 13 here consists of two identical posters 14 which are arranged congruently one above the other. Each Poster 14 in turn consists of a paper carrier 15 and a printing layer 16, which was applied to the paper carrier 15 using the offset method. Fig. 1 makes it clear that the advertising material 13 is drawn into the groove 9 at the edge and runs practically up to the bead 8. If the advertising as a whole extends over a large-area illuminated advertising system comprising a plurality of illuminated advertising elements (FIG. 8), a plurality of posters 14 with correspondingly overlapping edge regions are provided accordingly, and the overlapping regions lie in the area of the groove 9 and the bead 8 of each illuminated advertising element in the installed state.

The pressure plate 10 and the pins 12 pressing them are not absolutely necessary. It is also possible to attach the posters 14 to one another and to the inner surface of the front plate 6 in another way, for example by gluing. The adhesive bond to the front panel 6 should naturally be relatively easy to remove.

At least the front plate 6 of the upper shell 3 consists of crystal-clear, optically well-transparent plastic. Because of the regular one-piece production of the front panel 6 with the frame 7, this is initially crystal clear. The frame 7 then advantageously has a translucent insert 17 which can be divided into the basic colors of the additive color mixture in the stripe or dot pattern.

In the illuminated advertising elements of basically the same design in FIG. 3, the upper shell 3 likewise consists of crystal-clear plastic, on the inner surface of which tube sections 18 are fluorescent attached to the material in a manner not shown. The light that comes from a fluorescent tube 2ʹ that emits UV light (“black light”) and is arranged in the lower shell 1 strikes it directly. The front ends 19 of the curved tube sections 18 arranged in the joint area of the two illuminated advertising elements shown make it clear that the tubular sections 18 which give the impression of neon tubes can apparently 'pass through' via the separation between two adjacent illuminated advertising elements.

Covers 20 are applied to the outside of the front plates 6, which make the area between the tube sections 18 opaque, but let the (secondary) fluorescent light coming from the tube sections 18 pass through the front plate 6. The cover 20 is pulled into the areas of the frames 7. It goes without saying that the cover 20 can optionally also be arranged on the inside of the front plates 6 (and the frames 7).

4 to 7 illustrate the measures mentioned above, which serve the more uniform light distribution over the surface of the front plate 6 of the upper shell 3, and which are taken in the lower shell 1. The respective right sections of FIGS. 4 and 5 together with FIG. 6 show an exemplary embodiment of the fluorescent tube arrangement and the left sections of FIGS. 4 and 5 with FIG. 7 show a modified exemplary embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the transverse fluorescent tubes 21 are located with the longitudinal ones end fluorescent tubes 2 in one plane and protrude at the end into correspondingly shaped pockets 22 of the lower shell 1. In the other exemplary embodiment, the transverse fluorescent tubes 21a are arranged above the - correspondingly longer - longitudinal fluorescent tubes 2. The pockets 22a for the ends of the fluorescent tubes 21a can be smaller (FIG. 7), while pockets 23 are now formed for the ends of the longitudinally extending fluorescent tubes 2 (FIG. 5 on the left).

In both cases, surface sections 24, 25, 26 with the base 27 of the lower shell 1 are formed into a polygonal path surrounding the associated fluorescent tube 2 as a reflector; This creates the prismatic rib 28 between the fluorescent tubes 2, which projects into the interior of the lower shell 1. Of course, the floor 27 can be further broken down into polygonally drawn surface sections.

Correspondingly, the walls running transversely to the longitudinal walls of the lower shell 1 discussed above are broken down into polygonally arranged surface sections 24ʹ, 25ʹ and 26ʹ and the bottom section 27ʹ.

The large-area illuminated advertising system shown in FIG. 8 consists of eight illuminated advertising elements of one of the embodiments discussed above. The illuminated advertising elements are fastened on a rear frame 30, which also carries a circumferential frame 31 and - pivotable about the pivot axis 32 - is fastened to a support frame 33, which in turn is fixed in place on a wall 34. A handlebar 35 holds the system adjustable at an inclination to the wall 34, which at least largely excludes reflections on the front of the system.

Claims (22)

1.Luminous advertising element consisting of an opaque lower shell in the form of a flat box open at the front and a lid-shaped upper shell, which consists of a translucent front panel and an essentially all-round frame and can be releasably locked to the lower shell, a light source being arranged in the lower shell and the upper shell carries advertising material illuminated on the back by the light source,
characterized in that the front plate (6) of the upper shell (3) is crystal clear and the advertising material (13) is arranged on its inner surface. 2. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 1,
characterized in that the advertising means (13) consist of two congruent posters (14), each of which has a paper layer (15) and a one-sided printing layer (16) applied using the offset method. 3. illuminated advertising element according to claim 2,
characterized in that the posters (14) are adhesively bonded to one another and releasably to the inner surface of the upper shell (6). 4. illuminated advertising element according to claim 2,
characterized in that the glued or unglued posters (14) are held by a translucent pressure plate (10) on the inner surface of the front plate (6). 5. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 4,
characterized in that the pressure plate (10) has a curved rest position and an intermediate plate (11), which is arranged at a parallel distance and is also translucent, with the aid of several pins (12) bridging the distance, the pressure plate (10) in flat contact with the posters (14 ) and press them against the front panel (6). 6. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 5,
characterized in that an inwardly open U-groove (9) is formed between the front plate (6) and the frame (7), into which the pressure plate (10) engages at the edge. 7. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 5 or 6,
characterized in that the intermediate plate (11) is attached to the frame (7) at the edge. 8. Illuminated advertising element according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that a screened covering in the colors of the additive color mixture is arranged on the inside of the frame (7). 9. Illuminated advertising element in particular according to claim 5,
characterized in that the intermediate plate (11) consists of a light (by total reflection on the plane-parallel surfaces) conductive material and is provided in the edge and / or corner areas of its side facing the front plate (6) with surface damage which in the plane of the Allow plate (11) directed light to exit substantially perpendicular to it. 10. illuminated advertising element according to claim 9,
characterized in that the surface injuries consist of small blind holes. 11. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 1,
characterized in that the advertising means (13) consist of material fluorescent under UV light and the light source is a UV light source (2ʹ). 12. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 11,
characterized in that the advertising means (13) are flexible hose sections (18), and in that the surface sections of the front plate (6) not covered by the hose sections are opaque covered. 13. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 12,
characterized in that the cover (20) is applied to the outside of the front panel (6). 14. Illuminated advertising element in particular according to claim 1 or one of the claims following this with a light source in the form of at least one fluorescent tube which extends longitudinally through the lower shell,
characterized in that the lower shell (1) is formed in the region of the fluorescent tube (2) to form a reflector in the form of a polygonal train of elongated wall sections (24, 25, 26, 27). 15. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 14 with two parallel fluorescent tubes,
characterized in that the lower shell (1) to two corresponding parallel polygon reflectors (24, 25, 26, 27) is formed, a central longitudinal section of the bottom (27) of the lower shell (1) being drawn into an essentially prismatic rib (28) projecting into the interior of the lower shell (1). 16. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 15,
characterized in that in the end regions of the fluorescent tubes (2) to these transverse fluorescent tubes (21) are arranged in the lower shell (1). 17. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 16,
characterized in that all fluorescent tubes (2, 21) are arranged in one plane. 18. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 16,
characterized in that the transverse fluorescent tubes (21) are arranged above the longitudinal fluorescent tubes (2). 19. Illuminated advertising element according to claim 17 or 18,
characterized in that the walls of the lower shell (1) adjacent to the transverse fluorescent tubes (21) are also formed into polygonal reflector sections (24ʹ, 25ʹ, 26ʹ, 27ʹ). 20. Large-area illuminated advertising system comprising a plurality of rectangular illuminated advertising elements arranged side by side according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the illuminated advertising elements are fastened on the back to a frame (30) which can be pivoted (axis 32) relative to a supporting wall (34) or the like. 21. Illuminated advertising system according to claim 20,
characterized in that a frame (31) surrounds the illuminated advertising elements and is also attached to the frame (30). 22. Illuminated advertising system according to claims 2, 6 and 20,
characterized in that the posters (14) with overlapping edge sections are drawn into the U-grooves (9) in the transition areas between the front plates (6) and the frames (7).

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