EP1593109B1 - Optical element for variable traffic signs - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an optical element which can be used mostly in a randomly arranged plurality for representing symbols or graphic information on substantially vertical front faces of variable message signs. Said optical element comprises at least one triggerable light source (2), mostly an LED that can rest on a circuit board (1), a lens element (3) that is provided with a light-incident area (4), a surface area (6), an exit area (5), and preferably a housing (12) surrounding at least one portion of the surface area (6), light being emitted in an essentially horizontal to descending direction. The surface area (6) is provided with a maximally light-absorbing area (9) which directly borders the light incidence area (4) and the exit area (5) of the lens element (3). The length of the lens element (3) is greater than the diameter thereof. The curvature of the exit area (5) at each surface point is embodied such that substantially all light beams (10) emitted by the light source (2) are directed into an area located below a given angle S, preferably less than or equal to 10 DEG , relative to the horizontal line while essentially all light beams (11) inciding from outside at an angle that is greater than or equal to S relative to the horizontal line are directed onto the absorption area (9).

Description

The invention relates to an optical element, which is usually used in an arbitrarily arranged plurality in substantially vertically arranged front surfaces of variable message signs for displaying symbols or graphic information, consisting of at least one controllable light source, usually an LED, which can sit on a board, a Lens element with light inlet surface, lateral surface and outlet surface and preferably a surrounding at least a portion of the lateral surface housing, with substantially horizontal to downward inclined light emission, wherein the lateral surface has a maximum light absorbing absorption surface.

Since it has been possible to produce light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with high light bundling, light intensity and service life in a variety of colors or in almost all defined signal colors, this technology has been provided as a substitute for the previously used in variable message fiber optics. But the use in graphics-capable displays is forced, because with appropriate wiring each LED can be controlled individually and therefore individually programmable representations and information are possible.

Light-emitting diodes differ from conventional incandescent lamps not only by the generation of light by means of semiconductor technology, which produces a nearly monochromatic colored light, but also by integrated optical measures for directing light, which on the one hand improve the useful light component, on the other hand generate universal, favorable light distribution characteristics in narrow and broad-emitting versions, so that the LED can be used directly as a signal light without further optical measures.

While for advertising and information signs there are no higher-ranking regulations with regard to their lighting properties, such exist in the field of traffic engineering for a long time, whereby especially light color, brightness, Light distribution, uniformity, a high contrast ratio and associated with a low phantom light (pretense of a signal light turned on by incident sunlight) are prescribed. The commercially available LED designs meet these requirements only partially, but are still used as long as customer-specific versions of the LED are uneconomical and on the part of many manufacturers for technological reasons currently have to be rejected.

If in traffic engineering the LEDs are used directly without additional optical measures, the light color, brightness and uniformity usually correspond to the specifications, the required light distribution can often only be achieved by connecting additional lenses, but the main problem is the high phantom light. The lens cap of the usually crystal clear transparent LED body focuses incident sunlight directly onto the highly reflective internals inside the LED, such as the reflector and reflector edge, terminal lugs and contact points, from where it is thrown back. Because of the crystal clear LED body and the phantom light is relatively whitish and unfiltered and may appear in unfavorable position of the sun may be brighter than the actual signal light.

In traffic engineering, standards stipulate that for phantom light assessment, a sun position of 10 degrees is assumed vertically above the optical axis of the signal, usually the direction of the maximum light emission. At such angles, additional measures must be taken in any case to limit the effect described above. Because the optics are often arranged relatively close to each other, but as small a diameter of the optic element is an important criterion.

Some known measures are the attachment of a relatively large converging lens at a greater distance in front of the LED, which is problematic for reasons of space. Small sun visors over any optics complicate the cleaning and restrict the observation area. Perforated diaphragms in front of each LED require an additional front screen for cleaning reasons.

Another measure is the use of colored in the signal color lenses or LED bodies. The sunlight has to pass through the colored component twice, whereby above all the foreign color components of the light are filtered out, the LED light only once, whereby the coloring for the actual signal color is as permeable as possible. As a result, the sunlight is significantly weakened, the useful light is reduced to a much lesser extent. The disadvantage is not only the lower useful light intensity, which must be compensated by a higher number of points of light, but also the phantom light in signal color, which is considered to white phantom light in many applications as particularly critical.

Another disadvantage is the usually circularly symmetrical light emission of the LEDs, so that a large amount of light is emitted unused into irrelevant areas, if not also optical measures are taken against it. Furthermore, commercially available light-emitting diodes have emission characteristics which generally do not agree well with the required light distribution of the light spots. As a result, disproportionately more LEDs must be used without additional optics, only to have sufficient light in low-light areas. In many cases, the required light distribution can not be achieved at all without additional measures. As a result, good devices consistently use conversion lenses that can achieve the desired distributions very effectively. At the same time, this also measures against phantom light be taken.

At registration EP 0 930 600 A1 the light of an LED is focused by means of a converging lens either on a scattering lens or in particular on an aperture between collecting and scattering lens and directed by means of the scattering lens in the prescribed range. Sunbeams are absorbed either on the housing wall or the aperture.

This design has the advantage that virtually no sunlight can reach the LED. The LEDs can be individually wired or sit together on a circuit board. Furthermore, any arrangement of individual optics is possible. The optic diameter is relatively small.

A disadvantage, however, is a variety of components, which affect the cost unfavorable and also an automatic production very difficult, but also the large number of interfaces, which must penetrate the light and thereby suffers loss of brightness, but in particular also generates the sunlight surface reflections at least on the one and exit surface of the dispersion lens before it is absorbed. This creates phantom light again, which impairs the recognizability.

The EP 1 227 458 A2 , which is considered to be the closest prior art to the subject-matter of claim 1, discloses altogether a display and / or signaling device for light-optical information. This device comprises a carrier plate or a housing part with light sources arranged thereon. A lens body provided here is provided with a Lichtleitfortsatz, which is arranged in corresponding recesses of the support plate. In this case, the surface on which rest the Lichtleitfortsätze, provided with a light absorption layer. In said document, a module is presented, which is made of transparent material and has integrated a plurality of similar scattered lenses, which direct the light of the LED, which sit on a common board in the observation area. The inside of the module is light absorbing coated black except for the light entry surfaces, which are due to the saving of material on extensions, so that incident sun rays are absorbed.

This design has the economic advantage that it consists of only one component and a circuit board with LED. The light penetrates only the entrance and exit surfaces of the module, which minimizes losses. Sunlight from the outside only creates a surface reflection on the front surface, then it is already absorbed on the inside wall of the module.

A disadvantage is the fixed arrangement in a grid, which limits the use of graphic displays. Each grid requires a separate module. In particular, it is disadvantageous that because of the transparent base body at each point of the outer surface, the transition surfaces between the lenses must be tilted so high up or down that no reflections can occur in the direction of observation, but this results in a highly fissured, particularly dirt-prone surface. Furthermore, the absence of a metallic matrix plate only limited protection against electromagnetic interference or lightning is possible. Nevertheless, a supporting structure with a vertical sealing surface is necessary, to which the modules are attached.

Also with the international registration WO 02/17628 A2 a module made of transparent material with grid-like arrangement of the LED is presented. The optical Functionality is so sophisticated that no phantom light is detected. The sunlight is either absorbed in an internal grid of black material or directed outside the observation area. Disadvantages are, in addition to the fixed grid, the extremely complex production of the module as well as the stepped and inclined front, as well as any leakage of phantom light, even if it does not take place within the observation area.

The aim of the invention is an inexpensive optics for variable message signs, which meets the standardized light distribution and has the lowest possible phantom light. It should consist of as few components as possible and be fully automatic mountable. It should be able to be mounted tightly and precisely both in freely selectable arrangements and in any desired grids, preferably using a metallic matrix plate, and should have the highest possible packing density.

This is inventively achieved in that the absorption surface directly adjacent to the light entrance and exit surface of the lens element, that the length of the lens element is greater than its diameter and that the curvature of the exit surface is formed at each surface point that substantially all of the light source coming light rays in a range below a predetermined angle S, less than or equal to 10 °, with respect to the horizontal and substantially all from the outside at an angle greater than or equal to S with respect to the horizontal incident light rays are directed onto the absorption surface.

At the next coming state of the art, the EP 1 227 458 A2 , The surface of the support plate is provided with their recesses with a light absorption layer. Since the lens body completely covers the light absorption layer with its wall regions, it does not adjoin the light exit surface at any point. Similar to an optical fiber, undesirable scattered light can pass via these wall regions to adjacent lens bodies where it produces undesired effects such as phantom images. In accordance with the present invention, this is excluded from the outset, and the attraction of the absorption layer from the light entrance surface to the light exit surface causes more extensive light absorption of any external light sources.

In the dependent claims and the following description including the accompanying drawing figures further advantageous embodiments and embodiments of the invention are characterized and further illustrated.

The invention will now be explained with reference to the illustrations. It shows Fig. 1 a vertical section through an inventive optical element, Fig. 2 a vertical section through another optical element before insertion, Fig. 3 a vertical section through a third optical element and a cross section, Fig. 4 preferred outlines of the mounting holes in view, FIGS. 5 and 6 show combinations of the optical element according to the invention in vertical section.

In Fig. 1 the optical element according to the invention is shown in its simplest embodiment in vertical section. On a circuit board 1 sits a light source 2 in the form of an LED coaxial immediately behind a lens element 3 with a light entrance surface 4 and an exit surface 5, connected by a lateral surface 6. The exact positioning of the board 1 with the LED takes place in any way outside the representation. The lens element is mounted in a vertically arranged metallic matrix plate 7 and fixed and sealed with an adhesive 8. The lateral surface 6 is coated black in the entire lower region between the light entry surface 4 and the exit surface 5, so that any incident light beam is absorbed. This area is referred to as absorption area 9. The light beams 10 of the LED enter at the light entry surface 4, pass through the lens element 3 and exit at the exit surface 5. The light entrance surface 4 acts as a converging lens, captures as much light as possible of the LED and concentrates it on the exit surface 5, from which it is directed with the required intensity and distribution into the prescribed observation region. This range is expediently determined in such a way that the greatest intensity occurs in the horizontal axis direction and the side decreases more or less rapidly to zero, either downwards or downwards. Upwards, no light emission is required at all. This radiation characteristic is achieved not only by the influence of the light source 2 and the light entrance surface 4, but above all by a suitable design of the exit surface 5 by means of different curvature zones, which will not be discussed in detail here. It can be seen, however, that the drawn light beams 10 are only horizontally and more or less directed downwards. This is supported by a slight downward inclination of the light entry surface 4. The curvature of the exit surface 5 is on each surface point is formed so that substantially all of the light beam 10 coming from the light source 2 in a range below a predetermined angle S, preferably less than or equal to 10 ° with respect to the horizontal and substantially all externally with an angle greater than or equal to S respect the horizontal incident light beams 11 are directed onto the absorption surface 9.

Furthermore, the incident light rays from the outside, such as Sun rays 11 located, which reach at an angle to the horizontal angle S (vertical sun angle) parallel to each other on the exit surface 5. They penetrate into the lens element and are directed by the exit surface 5 on the absorption surface 9, where they are absorbed. Furthermore, a sun ray 11 a is drawn in, which is incident at a smaller vertical angle than S. It reaches the reflector of the LED, where it is reflected and scattered, creating the dreaded phantom light. But it is also a light beam 11b located, which is incident at a larger vertical angle than S. He reaches the absorption surface 9 accordingly earlier and is absorbed.

Particularly in the case of narrow-focusing optical elements, overhead sunrays 11 c penetrate furthest into the lens element 3. Therefore, their deflection and thus the design of the upper exit surface area for a low angle of incidence S of the sun is particularly relevant.

The angle S set for the incident sunrays represents a vertical limit angle. In this position of the sun, no ray of sun 11 can just advance to the light source 2, it is destroyed at the absorption surface 9. It is immediately obvious that with every higher position of the sun, the sun's rays 11b hit the absorption surface earlier and no phantom light is produced. At a lower position of the sun, however, some of the sun's rays 11a penetrate into the light source 2 through the light entry surface 4 and produce phantom light.

The design of the exit surface 5 is not inconsistent with respect to the two different requirements, namely the light distribution of light rays 10 and the directing of sun rays 11 on the absorption surface 9, because the lens element 3 rotates in principle according to optical laws Appearance of the bright light entrance surface 4 with the black absorption area adjacent to the head, so that it is displayed as a brightly lit observation area with overlying dark zone. So it is emitted with the right orientation no light upwards.

If, by relevant standards, a phantom light poverty down to 10 degrees sun or down to another angle value required, so this value is an essential design constant for the geometric design of the system and the design of the exit surface 5 is. But not only directly from to consider the light source 2 outgoing light rays 10, but also to include reflected and scattered light components with. It will therefore be inevitable that some upward leaking stray light component. However, if it is ensured that as far as possible no stray light emerges with an angle S or more upwards, then conversely no sunbeam 11 can penetrate with the angle of incidence S to the light source 2. The exact dimensioning of the optical system and the design of the exit surface 5 therefore preferably takes place by means of computer simulation because of the complexity of the light propagation.

Of course, any number of optical elements may be incorporated in the matrix plate 7 in any arrangement. The light sources 2 then all preferably sit on the same board 1, which also has other electrical components for power supply and control and all interconnects.

Fig. 2 represents a modified optical element in vertical section. The lateral surface is designed entirely as an absorption surface 9. The black coating is made of plastic and is thickened to a solid envelope of the lens element 3, which now forms a housing 12. In the region of the exit surface 5, the housing 12 has a flange 13 as a contact surface. Adjacent to the housing peripheral circumferential ribs 14 are mounted with sawtooth cross-section. In the area of the light entry surface 4, an exact receptacle 15 for the light source 2 is formed. The light source 2 is not sitting here on a circuit board 1, but is directly wired and held by a mitformed to the housing 12 snap hook 16. Such a design saves the board costs for small quantities.

The illustration shows the optical element before being pressed in. The ribs 14 have over the mounting hole 17 a slight excess. When pressed they are elastically / plastically deformed in a known manner, hold the optical element by frictional engagement in the mounting hole 17 and seal at the same time. The flange 13 ensures the exact alignment by abutment against the matrix plate 7. The housing material is much tougher and more resilient than the material of the lens element 3, so that during pressing only the ribs 14, but not the lens element 3 are deformed.

In contrast to Fig. 1 the optic element is longer here. As a result, not only is the curvature of the exit surface 5 as a whole lower, the sun's rays 11 have a greater path length in the lens element 3 up to the absorption surface 9. Furthermore, the exit surface 5 is designed asymmetrically. The upper portion is more curved, thereby deflecting overhead light rays 10c more downward, even the overhead sun rays 11c, which otherwise reach the first light entrance surface 4, are broken down more and reach the absorption surface 9 earlier. Through these two measures a total of a smaller sun angle S can be achieved. The light region below the horizontal is therefore preferably illuminated by light rays 11 c from the upper region of the exit surface 5.

In particular, it should be noted that the black housing 12 and the lateral surface 6 of the lens element 3 must be optically effectively connected to each other, in particular by melting together. A mere mating of two individual components would not result in an absorption of the sun's rays 11, but their total reflection and thus considerable phantom light, despite identical graphic representation.

However, total reflection may take place in the upper region of the lateral surface 6. Fig. 3 shows this embodiment in connection with a particularly broad-emitting light source 2 in the form of an SMD LED. These LEDs are inexpensive and particularly accurate to position on the board 1, however, only a portion of the light on the light entry surface 4 can be beneficially prebound. Particularly far away exiting light beams 10d are therefore directed via a total reflection at the free area of the lateral surface 6 through the exit surface 5 in the light distribution area, where they because of the greater deflection to brighten the edge areas or of close range contribute. Inclination and curvature, or even optical surface structures, as well as a more complicated design of the lateral surface 6 are this freely selectable within reasonable geometric limits.

Even sun rays 11d can reach the totally reflecting surface 6, in particular when exposed to the side. However, they tend to be reflected downwardly to be subsequently absorbed on the absorbing surface 9. This is at least guaranteed if the lateral surface 6 is totally reflected only in the upper region.

Furthermore, a positioning and mounting possibility of the board 1 in Fig. 3 shown. The housing 12 has at the bottom of a bore 18, whereby the board 1 is positioned and held by a position hole 19 and screw 20.

Due to the wide light emission of the SMD LED, this optical element is shorter and conical than in Fig. 2 , In this case, it may be necessary to pull the absorption surface 9 so far toward the optical axis of the lens element 3 that already a part of the LED light is shaded. However, these are edge light beams, which are usable only to a limited extent since they would reach the upper dark area according to optical laws, above all. In cross-section AA, it can be seen that the absorption surface 9 has been formed by flattening the lower region of the lens element 3, which is conical in itself. But it also extends a bit laterally to about the middle up. The flat region of the absorption surface 9 extends to the light entry surface 4, where it forms a horizontal edge 21. The position of this connection edge 21 with respect to the optical axis is an essential characteristic for the size of the angle of incidence S of the sun's rays. Position and shape of the absorption surface 9 in the remaining region of the lateral surface 6 are of minor importance. However, flattening may be helpful in orienting the optical elements in the mounting holes 17 or even in the manufacture of the components. In particular, at the flattened zone, the sprue of the lens element 3 or of the housing 12 can take place.

The total reflecting zone of the lateral surface 6 should naturally be as large as possible to use as much light as possible, on the other hand, the absorption surface 9 must be present wherever solar rays 11 are absorbed on the lateral surface 6 have to. More precise determinations can be made by light beam tracking in a computer simulation.

Fig. 4 shows a selection of Einbaulöchem in the matrix plate with different properties. A circular hole a allows any orientation of the optic element. Either it must be circularly symmetrical or be oriented by external measures.

The elliptical hole b allows attachment in two orientations. This is meaningful with appropriate symmetry of the optical element, but also with an easy recognizability of the orientation.

Clear orientation is achieved by a flattened or drop-shaped hole c or d. The outline is oriented, for example, according to a flattened absorption surface 9 or the attachment hole 18 Fig. 3 ,

Essential for tight pressing is a continuous curvature of the outline. Square holes require bonding for attachment and sealing.

Fig. 5 shows a combination of optical elements of the same design, which are connected via a connecting surface 22 in any number, but preferably regular arrangement. They are pressed or glued together in the matrix plate 7. Each combination has at least one position pin 23, which projects through a matching position hole 19 of the common board 1 and this holds by means of commercially available fasteners, such as the lock washer 24 shown. The front of the connection surface 22, like the housing 12, is black and has a maximum light-absorbing structure 25. As a result, the matrix plate 7 does not require a surface coating.

Fig. 6 Such a module, even without a matrix plate, is rigid in itself and usually has at its edges connecting means, such as the illustrated tongue and groove system 26, in order to be able to form arbitrarily large display panels by placing them in a known manner. Another advantage is the significantly smaller distance between the lens elements relative to the embodiment in FIG Fig. 3 or 5 , The common board 1 is here by means of at least one snap hook 16 held per module and positioned by means of position pins 23 and position holes 19. Again, the black front of the housing block has a maximum light-absorbing structure 25.

The application of current traffic standards requires a sun angle of 10 degrees above the horizon. But of course, an even lower position of the sun can be taken as a special security feature. The practical embodiment of the lens elements means under this boundary condition that their length is to be assumed to be considerably larger than the diameter of the exit surface. High light intensity and high efficiency also always require the immediate arrangement of the light source behind the light entry surface.

For general displays without special security requirements, such as platform displays but also a larger angle of incidence of the sun's rays can be selected. This allows the optics and displays are generally made smaller.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the light source 2 consist of several individual light sources, which are arranged together behind a lens element 3. It can even be present for each individual light source, a specially designed light entry surface. This allows an effective achievement even of very specific light distribution, a higher amount of light per optical element or security in case of failure of an LED. In particular, this allows the emission of different colors with only one optical element, which reduces the cost or allows a higher image resolution. By special design of the lens element 3 can be achieved that the colors have approximately the same light distribution within a limited observation area.

The scarcer the light sources sit together, the less the differences in the light distribution can be kept. Therefore, commercial multi-LED are used, which in particular unite a red, green and blue single light source structurally and can emit any color by appropriate control. Thus, any image or video representations in signaling technology are possible.

Claims (23)

1. Optical element which can be used to display symbols or graphic information, mostly in an arbitrarily arranged multiplicity in front surfaces, arranged substantially vertically, of variable traffic signs, and which consists of at least one actuatable light source (2), mostly an LED, which can be seated on a printed circuit board (1); a lens element (3) with a light entry surface (4), lateral surface (6) and exit surface (5); and preferably a housing (12), surrounding at least a portion of the lateral surface (6), with substantially horizontal to downwardly inclined light emission, the lateral surface (6) having an absorption surface (9) which effects maximum absorption of light, characterized in that the absorption surface (9) directly adjoins the light entry surface (4) and exit surface (5) of the lens element (3), in that the length of the lens element (3) is greater than its diameter, and in that the curvature of the exit surface (5) at each surface point is designed such that substantially all light beams (10) coming from the light source (2) are directed onto the absorption surface (9) in a region below a fixed angle S, smaller than or equal to 10°, with reference to the horizontal, and substantially all light beams (11) incident from outside at an angle of greater than or equal to S with reference to the horizontal are directed onto the absorption surface (9).
2. Optical element according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that the entire lateral surface (6) is designed as an absorption surface (9).
3. Optical element according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that only the lower area of the lateral surface (6) is designed as an absorption surface (9).
4. Optical element according to Claim 1 or 3,
   characterized in that the light beams (10d) incident on to the lateral surface (6) not designed as an absorption surface (9) are deflected by total reflection to the exit surface (5), and substantially all light beams (11, 11d) incident on the exit surface (5) at an angle of greater than or equal to a fixed angle S, less than or equal to 10°, with reference to the horizontal strike the absorption surface (9) either directly or after total reflection at the lateral surface (6).
5. Optical element according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the entry surface (4) is arranged directly in front of the light source (2) and prefocuses or predistributes the light of the light source (2) by a curvature.
6. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the absorption surface (9) is formed by partially coating the lens part (3) black, or by varnishing it.
7. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the absorption surface (9) is formed by spraying or fusing a black plastic on to the lens part (3).
8. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the connecting edge (21) of the absorption surface (9) runs horizontally on to the light entry surface (4).
9. Optical element according to Claim 7, characterized in that in a further refinement the black plastic sprayed on or fused on forms in one piece a housing (12) which substantially directly encloses the lateral surface (6) of the lens part (3).
10. Optical element according to Claim 9,
    characterized in that the material of the housing (12) is substantially more tough, elastic and flexible than that of the lens element (3).
11. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the outer casing of the housing (12) has a round, oval, oviform or another continuously curved cross section, and the installation hole (17) is adapted to the cross section.
12. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is tightly inserted in an installation hole (17) of a preferably flat matrix plate (7) with a multiplicity of further, preferably similar and identically orientated installation holes (17).
13. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that on its outer circumference the housing (12) has a flange (13) as a stop in the immediate vicinity of the exit surface (5) and, adjoining in the direction of the light entry surface (4), ribs (14) running all around and with a slight oversize relative to the installation hole (17).
14. Optical element according to Claim 13,
    characterized in that, after being pressed in, the flange (13) bears against the front side of the matrix plate (7), and the ribs (14) running all around hold the optical element fast by elastic and plastic deformation in a way known per se, secure it against being pressed out and seal the installation hole (17).
15. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, at the rear, the housing (12) has at least one axial bore (18) for fastening the printed circuit board (1) with a suitable connecting means.
16. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, at the rear, the housing (12) has at least one axial positioning pin (23) which positions the printed circuit board (1) via an adequately fitting positioning hole (19) and also enables it to be fastened by means of commercially available fastening elements (24).
17. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that, at the rear, the housing (12) has at least one catch hook (16) which holds the printed circuit board (1) fast.
18. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, at the rear, the housing has a receptacle (15) of low clearance for the light source (2), and at least one catch hook (16) which positions the light source (2) and holds it fast.
19. Optical element according to one of Claims 1 to 18, characterized in that a number of discrete light sources (2) are arranged behind a common lens element (3), which latter has either a common or individual assigned light entry surfaces (4).
20. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the light source (2) is designed as a structural unification of a number of individual light sources which preferably emit different colours and can be individually actuated.
21. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 20, characterized in that a plurality of optical elements are combined by means of connecting surfaces (22) in the region of the housing flange (13), and are jointly tightly pressed or glued into a fitting group of holes in the matrix plate (7).
22. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 20, characterized in that owing to a unipartite design of the housing (12) a plurality of optical elements form a stable self-supporting structure without a matrix plate and can be combined with the aid of known means to form a larger display surface.
23. Optical element according to one or more of Claims 1 to 22, characterized in that outer surfaces of the housing flange (13) and connecting surfaces (22) have a structure (25) and colour which absorb light to the maximum.

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