GB2120439A

GB2120439A - An illuminated sign box

Info

Publication number: GB2120439A
Application number: GB08229268A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arne Nielsen
Original assignee: COLORLUX AS
Current assignee: COLORLUX AS
Priority date: 1982-05-17
Filing date: 1982-10-13
Publication date: 1983-11-30
Also published as: FR2526983A3; IT8320964A0

Abstract

An illuminated sign box comprising at least one front plate 13 in the form of thin aluminium sheet curved locally about one or more parallel longitudinal axes and provided with a profiling in the form of parallel embossings 15. The embossings 15 extend in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axes. Recesses 17 may be provided in the profiled front plates 13 for the insertion of the translucent acrylic signs or symbols 18. In this matter the front plates 13 are self-supporting and may be secured directly to a plane wall surface. Alternatively, a profiled front plate 13 may be secured to a second correspondingly curved profiled front plate to form a double sided illuminated sign box. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An illuminated sign box The invention relates to an illuminated sign box comprising at least one front plate, and in which one or more light sources, such as fluorescent tubes, are situated.

Numerous designs of illuminated sign boxes for mounting on a planar wall surface are known. A common feature of all these designs of illuminated sign boxes is that they are composed of a great number of parts.

The object of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign box composed of few parts.

According to the present invention there is provided an illuminated sign box comprising at least one front plate, and in which one or more light sources are situated, the front plate being a sheet curved locally about one or more substantially parallel longitudinal axes and provided with a profiling in the form of substantially parallel embossings extending in planes forming a predetermined angle with the longitudinal axes.

In one embodiment of the invention the curved, profiled front plate is secured to a second substantially correspondingly curved profiled front plate to form a projecting or detached illuminated sign box. In this embodiment, the illuminated sign box may be supported ats end surfaces.

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates an illuminated sign box according to the invention which is secured to the front of a building; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the illuminated sign box of Fig. 1, with part of the profiled front plate illustrated in a sectional view; and Fig. 3 shows a side and end view, respectively, of a projecting illuminated sign box, according to the invention.

The illuminated sign box 11 illustrated in Fig. 1 is mounted on the front of a building 12 and comprises at least one front plate 13, in which one or more light sources (not shown) such as fluorescent tubes are situated. The front plate 13 is formed by a thin profiled aluminium-sheet curved locally at 14 about one or more substantially parallel longitudinal axes, see Fig. 2.

The profiling is composed of substantially parallel embossings or ribs 1 5 extending in planes preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axes.

As a result the front plate 13 is rather rigid, partly on account of the work-hardening during the pressing procedure and partly on account of the stiffness due to the embossings.

By making the embossings symmetrical in profile, i.e. by shaping them as isosceles trapezia, a predetermined symmetry in the distribution of light is obtained. The front plate is secured either to a planer rear plate or directly to the front of the building 12 in question by means of oblong connecting means (not shown). The connecting means may optionally be formed by angle sections or brackets. The ends of the illuminated sign box are closed by cover plates 1 6.

Translucent acrylic plates or units 1 7 corresponding to the signs or symbols to be shown may be inserted in recesses or openings 18 in the front plate 13.

A particular advantage of this illuminated sign box is that it is composed of very few parts.

According to the alternative embodiment of Fig. 3, the curved profiled front plate 13 is secured back-to-back to a second correspondly curved profiled front plate 19 to form a projecting or detached illuminated sign box 20. This illuminated sign box is also substantially selfsupporting in such a manner that reinforcing units are avoided. Furthermore separate top and bottom frame portions are saved too. The profiled front plates need only to be of the same length.

The front plates may optionally be secured to one another by means of internal connecting means (not shown) before the mounting of the end cover plates 21.

The projecting illuminated sign box may optionally be supported at both ends by means of posts 22.

These front plates possess the particular advantage that they may be cut on the spot.

The embossed plates are curved about 1800 in total, the radii of curvature being of 3-20 cm.

The profiling may alternatively be of continuously-curving wave formed.

Claims

1. An illuminated sign box comprising at least one front plate, and in which one or more light sources are situated, the front plate being a sheet curved locally about one or more substantially parallel longitudinal axes and provided with a profiling in the form of substantially parallel embossings extending in planes forming a predetermined angle with the longitudinal axes.

2. An illuminated sign box according to claim 1 in which the light sources are fluorescent tubes.

3. An illuminated sign box according to claim 1 or 2 in which the embossings extend in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axes.

4. An illuminated sign box according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which recesses are provided in the front plate for the insertion of signs or symbols to be shown.

5. An illuminated sign box according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 in which the curved profiled front plate is secured directly to a substantially plane wall surface.

6. An illuminated sign box according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in which the curved profiled front plate is secured to a second substantially correspondingly curved profiled front plate to form

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION An illuminated sign box The invention relates to an illuminated sign box comprising at least one front plate, and in which one or more light sources, such as fluorescent tubes, are situated. Numerous designs of illuminated sign boxes for mounting on a planar wall surface are known. A common feature of all these designs of illuminated sign boxes is that they are composed of a great number of parts. The object of the invention is to provide an illuminated sign box composed of few parts. According to the present invention there is provided an illuminated sign box comprising at least one front plate, and in which one or more light sources are situated, the front plate being a sheet curved locally about one or more substantially parallel longitudinal axes and provided with a profiling in the form of substantially parallel embossings extending in planes forming a predetermined angle with the longitudinal axes. In one embodiment of the invention the curved, profiled front plate is secured to a second substantially correspondingly curved profiled front plate to form a projecting or detached illuminated sign box. In this embodiment, the illuminated sign box may be supported ats end surfaces. Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates an illuminated sign box according to the invention which is secured to the front of a building; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the illuminated sign box of Fig. 1, with part of the profiled front plate illustrated in a sectional view; and Fig. 3 shows a side and end view, respectively, of a projecting illuminated sign box, according to the invention. The illuminated sign box 11 illustrated in Fig. 1 is mounted on the front of a building 12 and comprises at least one front plate 13, in which one or more light sources (not shown) such as fluorescent tubes are situated. The front plate 13 is formed by a thin profiled aluminium-sheet curved locally at 14 about one or more substantially parallel longitudinal axes, see Fig. 2. The profiling is composed of substantially parallel embossings or ribs 1 5 extending in planes preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axes. As a result the front plate 13 is rather rigid, partly on account of the work-hardening during the pressing procedure and partly on account of the stiffness due to the embossings. By making the embossings symmetrical in profile, i.e. by shaping them as isosceles trapezia, a predetermined symmetry in the distribution of light is obtained. The front plate is secured either to a planer rear plate or directly to the front of the building 12 in question by means of oblong connecting means (not shown). The connecting means may optionally be formed by angle sections or brackets. The ends of the illuminated sign box are closed by cover plates 1 6. Translucent acrylic plates or units 1 7 corresponding to the signs or symbols to be shown may be inserted in recesses or openings 18 in the front plate 13. A particular advantage of this illuminated sign box is that it is composed of very few parts. According to the alternative embodiment of Fig. 3, the curved profiled front plate 13 is secured back-to-back to a second correspondly curved profiled front plate 19 to form a projecting or detached illuminated sign box 20. This illuminated sign box is also substantially selfsupporting in such a manner that reinforcing units are avoided. Furthermore separate top and bottom frame portions are saved too. The profiled front plates need only to be of the same length. The front plates may optionally be secured to one another by means of internal connecting means (not shown) before the mounting of the end cover plates 21. The projecting illuminated sign box may optionally be supported at both ends by means of posts 22. These front plates possess the particular advantage that they may be cut on the spot. The embossed plates are curved about 1800 in total, the radii of curvature being of 3-20 cm. The profiling may alternatively be of continuously-curving wave formed. Claims

6. An illuminated sign box according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in which the curved profiled front plate is secured to a second substantially correspondingly curved profiled front plate to form a projecting or detached illuminated sign box.

7. An illuminated sign box substantially as described above and with reference to the accompanying drawings.