EP0534939B1 - Display with at least one translucent front panel lit from behind - Google Patents

Display with at least one translucent front panel lit from behind Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0534939B1
EP0534939B1 EP89911539A EP89911539A EP0534939B1 EP 0534939 B1 EP0534939 B1 EP 0534939B1 EP 89911539 A EP89911539 A EP 89911539A EP 89911539 A EP89911539 A EP 89911539A EP 0534939 B1 EP0534939 B1 EP 0534939B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
front panel
digit
display
elements
display according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP89911539A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0534939A1 (en
Inventor
Borge Leif Nielsen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0534939A1 publication Critical patent/EP0534939A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0534939B1 publication Critical patent/EP0534939B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
    • G09F13/04—Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
    • G09F13/08—Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia using both translucent and non-translucent layers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F9/00—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements
    • G09F9/30—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements
    • G09F9/37—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements
    • G09F9/375—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements the position of the elements being controlled by the application of a magnetic field

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a display comprising at least one translucent front panel, on which a text or a figure has been placed or printed, said text comprising at least one seven element digit, the elements of which comprise two differently coloured surfaces adapted to fill out alternately an aperture in the front panel, which elements are rotatable about a shaft running parallel to the front panel, and in which display means for lighting the back board of the front panel are placed.
  • Displays for price indication often use so-called seven digit elements composed by seven plate-shaped elements, which can be moved in such a way that in one position a light coloured plate is shown and in another position a dark coloured plate is shown. Displays with digits of this kind are known from DE-OS 27 06 653, 27 07 241 and 28 22 704.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a display of the afore-mentioned kind, i.e. one having a front panel, which is lit from the interior of the display, and which display may comprise digits, the elements of which are also transilluminated from the interior of the display both in their active and in their passive positions. Both the front panel and the digits should be without any essential shadows or unevenly lit areas.
  • the translucent carrier bodies are as to lighting essentially neutral and cast no shadows.
  • the display according to the invention is advantageous in that it can be used with nearly all colour combinations and all light intensities, for example white digits on a luminous, coloured background, coloured or dark digits on white background or coloured digits and background of different colour.
  • a particularly advantageous embodiment of the display in which the front panel and the lighting means are connected by means of girder means, which are in turn connected by means of carrier frames, through which the lighting means and the front panels are accessible, is described in claim 4.
  • This arrangement makes the renewal of lamps or fluorescent tubes particularly simple and makes the removal of the front plate for cleansing a simple process.
  • the display comprises as a part of its text one or more digits of the so-called seven element type.
  • the display has a front panel 1, on which the remaining text or figures of the display have been printed.
  • the display is therefore particularly suited for price indication or for showing the time for train departures or the like.
  • the front panel 1 of which a portion having a digit is shown seen from the front in fig. 2, seven oblong apertures 2 for each digit have been cut.
  • the apertures are covered by board elements 3,4, which consist of two types depending on whether the element in question is to be active in order to form the desired digit or not.
  • the active board elements are numbered 3, whereas the passive ones are called 4.
  • the digit formed in fig. 2 is a nine.
  • the front panel 2 is translucent, to enable it to be lit from behind.
  • the board element 4 which, when lit from behind, has to appear with the same colour and light intensity as does the front panel.
  • Another type of board elements are also translucent, but are of another colour than that of the front panel. They may also be somewhat wider than the front panel 2, whereby they will appear as protruding areas in comparison with the front panel. The relief effect achieved thereby contributes to increasing the legibility of the digits.
  • the digit elements are shown in fig. 4 at a larger scale.
  • the board portions 3,4 are fastened to a carrier body 5, generally in the shape of an H.
  • a bearing 6 is provided, by means of which the element can be mounted on an pivot.
  • the carrier body is made of a translucent material, preferably clear acrylic plastic.
  • a possibly toothed driving wheel 7 likewise made of a translucent material is provided.
  • To the carrier body a pair of studs 8 of magnetic material are fastened. These studs serve as a stop for a holding magnet for limiting the rotation of the element about the pivot as explained below.
  • the distance between the apertures 2 should be as small as possible, and the rotating paths of the board portions 3,4 in relation to adjacent digit elements will therefore overlap each other.
  • two closely placed digit elements may rotate without colliding, as the carrier body does not project outside the connection line between the ends of the board portions 3,4. Care should however be taken not to rotate two adjacent digit elements at the same time, as the ends of the board elements might thereby collide.
  • the elements shown in fig. 4 are mounted on a carrier frame comprising side portions 10, end portions 11 and a cross wall.
  • the frame is made from a translucent material, for instance clear acrylic board.
  • the frame serves as a hold for the pivots 13, about which the elements rotate, for a permanent magnet motor for each element and for stop magnets 15 (fig. 3) limiting the rotating angles of the elements and keeping the elements in their end positions of their rotating movements, in order that vibrations or the like may not make the elements move the board portions out of level with the front panel 1.
  • a pinion 16 is mounted, said pinion being in mesh with the driving wheel 6 of the elements.
  • the end portion which is a section through the front panel 1 at the end of the frame for a digit, the end portion has been partly cut away, whereby a digit element fastened to the side portion becomes visible and a stop magnet 15 becomes visible too.
  • the permanent magnet motors placed on the side portions and on the cross wall are placed at a greater distance from the front panel than the pivots 13 in order to reduce the possibility of shadows forming on the front panel.
  • the motors on the end portions 11 are, however, placed at the same level as the pivots 13 to make room for the lighting means.
  • the effect of differences as to thermal expansion between the front panel and the remaining parts of the digit will be minimal, and the rotatable elements will therefore be freely movable even with narrow tolerances, irregardless of whether the front panel on account of the sun is exposed to a considerable heating and a subsequent thermal expansion or not.
  • the front panel 1 is placed in a groove 17 along the edge of a girder means 18.
  • the girder means is provided with an additional groove 19 for holding a slide 20, on which the lighting means in the shape of a fluorescent tube 21 are mounted.
  • the fluorescent tube is placed approximately at the same distance from the front panel 1 as the board elements that are not present in the cuttings in the front panel. These not active board elements cannot therefore cast shadow on the front panel from the light emitted by the lighting means.
  • the other edge of the front panel is connected to another lighting means.
  • the display is surrounded by an external transparent tube 22 consisting of acryl or polycarbonate depending on whether greatest importance is attached to light constancy or impact resistance.
  • the two girder means 18 are, as will appear from the longitudinal section through a double-sided display according to fig. 5, fastened at their ends to a pair of frames 23 forming closed frames around a central aperture 24, best seen in fig. 6, through which both the front panel 1 and the lighting means are accesible and possibly exchangeable.
  • the fluorescent tube 21, which is placed on a slide 20, may be withdrawn lengthwise, the energy supply in the shape of a plug connection 25 being disconnected thereby.
  • the front panels may be removed from their girder means for cleansing or inspection of the movable digits mounted thereon.
  • the transparent tube 22 is mounted on the frames 23, and the central aperture of the frames is closed by means of a cover 26, which with an intermediate layer in the shape of a packing 27 with a rim engages the exterior of the tube 22.
  • the end cover 26 may as shown in fig. 6 be provided with an air valve 28 with a filter to prevent dirt and small insects from penetrating into the interior of the display.
  • Internal end plates 29 may be placed under the end covers 26, to which plates the various supply elements for the lighting may be mounted, such as energy supply transformers 30, or logical circuits or similar controlling equipment for movement of the movable digit elements.
  • the display according to invention is suited for the the making of modular displays, which may be put on top of each other in a common frame, where the displays with movable digits are combined with displays constructed in the same way, but where the front panels do not have movable digits but text and figures.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Liquid Crystal (AREA)
  • Display Devices Of Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
EP89911539A 1988-09-29 1989-09-28 Display with at least one translucent front panel lit from behind Expired - Lifetime EP0534939B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK542388A DK160909C (da) 1988-09-29 1988-09-29 Skilt med i det mindste en gennemskinnelig, bagfra belyst frontplade
DK5423/88 1988-09-29
PCT/DK1989/000227 WO1990003635A1 (en) 1988-09-29 1989-09-28 Display with at least one translucent front panel lit from behind

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0534939A1 EP0534939A1 (en) 1993-04-07
EP0534939B1 true EP0534939B1 (en) 1995-11-15

Family

ID=8142322

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89911539A Expired - Lifetime EP0534939B1 (en) 1988-09-29 1989-09-28 Display with at least one translucent front panel lit from behind

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0534939B1 (da)
AT (1) ATE130452T1 (da)
DE (1) DE68924856T2 (da)
DK (1) DK160909C (da)
WO (1) WO1990003635A1 (da)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0755555A4 (en) * 1994-01-04 1997-03-26 Francis Richard Forrest DISPLAY DEVICES

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4040193A (en) * 1975-06-10 1977-08-09 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Display device
DE2707241A1 (de) * 1977-02-19 1978-08-24 Leonhard Weiner Automatisches anzeigegeraet zur anzeige von ziffern, und/oder buchstaben, und/oder symbolen mittels mechanischen anzeigeelementen mit binaerem verhalten

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE68924856D1 (de) 1995-12-21
EP0534939A1 (en) 1993-04-07
DE68924856T2 (de) 1996-08-01
ATE130452T1 (de) 1995-12-15
DK542388D0 (da) 1988-09-29
DK542388A (da) 1990-03-30
DK160909C (da) 1991-10-21
DK160909B (da) 1991-04-29
WO1990003635A1 (en) 1990-04-05

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