GB2128010A - Display devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A fibre optic display device comprising a fibre optic harness 6A-6G whose optical tails are arranged into a shape to be displayed or used to illuminate or display a shape, a light source 10 for directing light at said harness, and means 14 interposed between said light source and said harness to mask a part or parts of said harness from said light source so as to vary or change the illuminated shape displayed. The means 14 may comprise a rotatable opaque disc with a plurality of apertures to enable variation of the shape displayed. A plurality of shapes may be arranged with corresponding rotatable discs and light sources or a single light source. The discs may alternatively be of transparent or translucent material and provided with opaque areas. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fibre optic display device This invention relates to display devices, and particularly to fibre optic display devices. More particularly, the invention is concerned with means for varying the image(s) or shape(s) displayed or illuminated in a fibre optic display device.

The expression "display device" is intended to include signs, scoreboards, information displays and other applications where the information to be imparted by means of the image(s) or shape(s) is to be varied.

Fibre optic display devices are well known, for example in illuminated signs on motorways etc., and whilst these displays are capable of being varied, each image or shape to be displayed or illuminated is illuminated by a separate light source. Thus each shape is produced by a separate fibre optic harness illuminated by a separate light source.

The invention seeks to provide a fibre optic display device in which the display is capable of being varied whilst being illuminated by a single light source.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fibre optic display device comprising a fibre optic harness whose optical tails are arranged into a shape to be displayed or used to illuminate or display a shape, a light source for directing light at said harness, and means interposed between said light source and said harness to mask a part or parts of said harness from said light source so as to vary or change the illuminated shape displayed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fibre optic display device comprising a plurality of fibre optic harnesses, optical tails of said harnesses being arranged to form shapes or images to be displayed or being used to illuminate or display a particular shape, a light source common to and for directing light at the input ends of said harnesses, and means interposed between said light source and said input ends to mask one or more of said input ends from said light source so as to vary the optical tails illuminated.

Said means will preferably comprise an opaque member having apertures arranged in a plurality of groups, said member being movable so as to position each group of apertures in turn between the light source and the input end(s) of said harness(es). The member will preferably be capable of being indexed by means of a simple solenoid actuated by control means.

Alternatively, the means may be in the form of a transparent or translucent member carrying a plurality of masked areas, the member being indexable to position said masked areas, in turn, between the light source and the input end(s) of the harness(es).

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the principles of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the connections between a plurality of fibre optic harnesses and shapes to be displayed or illuminated; and Figure 3 illustrates the results of sequential indexing of the member interposed between the light source and a plurality of fibre optic harnesses.

Referring to the drawing and firstly to Figure 1, a shape to be displayed or illuminated, and varied, indicated generally by reference numeral 2, is formed - in the particular embodiment being described - of seven segments 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, and 2G, and as will be seen the shape is a figure eight typical of a normal alphanumeric display. Each segment is made up of individual spots 3 formed by the optical tails 4 of fibre optic harnesses, one of which is indicated by reference numeral 5. As will be seen, the segments 2A to 2F each comprise eighteen spots, and the segment 2G comprises seventeen spots, but it will be appreciated that such numbers may be varied. The input ends of the fibre optic harnesses are referenced 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, and 6G, these input ends being arranged in a relatively small area as shown.Thus there are seven harnesses in the embodiment being described.

Figure 2 shows the connections between the segments 2A to 2G of the shape 2 to be illuminated and/or displayed and the harnesses 6A to 6G.

A light source 8, in the form of a bulb 10 receiving power via cables 12, and common to the input ends, is arranged to direct light onto the input ends 6A to 6G, and thus to the optical tails of the harness so as to illuminate said shape 2.

A member 14, in the form of an opaque disc, is interposed between the lightsource 8 and the inputends SAto 6G of the harnesses. The disc 14 has a plurality, in the particular illustration ten, apertures or groups of apertures 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, 14G, 14H, 14J, 14Keach aperture or group of 35 apertures when interposed between the light source 8 and the input ends 6A to 6G, permitting light to pass to one or more of said input ends, thus permitting illumination of the input ends in a certain combination, and hence enabling variation of the shape or image 2 displayed, by preventing light from the light source 8 reaching the optical tails of the masked input ends due to the opacity of the disc 14.The disc 14 will preferably be composed of metal or an opaque plastics material, the apertures or groups of apertures being punched or moulded in.

In an alternative arrangement, the disc may be composed of glass or of a transparent or translucent plastics material and having opaque areas to act as masks, these areas being printed on the disc or otherwise applied thereto.

The disc 14 is rotatable about its axis 15 by actuation of a solenoid 16 which is operated by control means, not shown. Projecting from the solenoid 16 is a pwal 18 which acts in conjunction with spigots 20 projecting from a boss 22 on the disc 14. A freely movable, spring-loaded pawl 24 is provided to prevent reverse movement of the disc.

In operation, and assuming the light source is illuminated, light from the source will be directed at the input ends 6A to 6G of the harnesses and will pass along the optical tails to the ends or spots so as to illuminate the shape 2. Thus, when none of the input ends are masked by arranging the aperture 14J between the light source 8 and the input ends - the whole of the shape 2, i.e. the figure 8, will be illuminated. If it is then required to change the illumination pattern, an appropriate control means (not shown) is operated to actuate the solenoid 16 so as to rotate the disc 14 about its axis 1 5A. Upon operation of the solenoid, the pawl 18 disengages the spigots 18 and allows the disc to rotate.Thus one of the apertures 1 4A to 14K will then overlie one or more of the input ends 6A to 6G. In the illustration of Figure 1, the 14G will be seen to be overlying the input ends such that the light from light source 8 will not strike input ends 6A due to the shape of the aperture. Thus the appropriate segment of the shape will not be illuminated, with the result that the shape 2 illuminated will be changed to a figure 6. Similarly, by indexing the disc 14 by means of the solenoid 15, differing apertures can be made to overlie the input ends 6A to 6G, thereby changing the combination of illuminated segments.

The shape 2 can be changed to any one of the numerals "0" to "9" by blanking off the appropriate input ends by the appropriate apertures of the disc 14. The relationship between the apertures and the resultant shape displayed is illustrated in Figure 3.

By arranging for a plurality of shapes to be arranged in a desired pattern or form, together with a corresponding plurality of rotatable discs having apertures or groups of apertures as described, and light sources and control means, meaning can be given to a display device embodying the principles of the invention. For example, by having three or more of the shapes 2 arranged in-line, together with a fourth shape to represent a decimal point, there may be formed a display device to indicate costings or prices, the illuminated shapes being changed to indicate variation in such costings or prices. Such a display device would find application to display prices in the forecourts of for example petrol filling stations and similar locations. Other applications would be scoreboards, alphanumeric display devices and so on.

Whilst the display device described and illustrated relates to alphanumeric shapes and hence alphanumeric displays, it will be appreciated that the shapes displayed may be pictorial or a combination. Such a display device would find application as road or traffic signs orto give information and/or directions in pictorial and/or alphanumeric form.

It will thus be seen, by means of the invention, that a simple and yet very effective means of varying the invention will obviate the disadvantages of conventional illuminated display devices, and will additionally be much cheaper two produce and easierto operate. By arranging the harnesses into a relatively small area, it is possible to utilise a single light source for all of the harnesses providing illumination of an individual shape, and in some instances it may also be possible to utilise a single light source for more than one series of harnesses.

It will be appreciated that the shapes to be illuminated may be composed of more or less than seven segments, and that the segments may comprise more or less than the stated number of tail ends or spots. In addition, the solenoid and associated pawl and spigots may be replaced by other disc indexing means.

It will also be appreciated that the whole of a screen on which the shape(s) is or are to be displayed may be illuminated by a suitable arrangement of "spots" or optical tails, those spots or tails not being required to be illuminated being screened by masking the appropriate harness so that only the desired shape or shapes is illuminated.

Where only a single harness is provided, a part or parts of said single harness may be masked by means according to the invention to give variation to the display.

Finally, it is possible by means of the invention to vary the illumination of solid shapes where a hamess has an output end of the same form as the input end, by arranging for masking of a part or parts of said input end.

Claims (9)

1. A fibre optic display device comprising a fibre optic harness whose optical tails are arranged into a shape to be displayed or used to illuminate or display a shape, a light source for directing light at said hamess, and means interposed between said light 30 source and said harness to mask a part or parts of said hamess from said light source so as to vary or change the illuminated shape displayed.

2. A fibre optic display device comprising a plurality of fibre optic harnesses, optical tails of said hamesses being arranged to form shapes or images to be displayed or being used to illuminate or display a particular shape, a light source common to and for directing light at the input ends of said harnesses, and means interposed between said light source and said input ends to mask one or more of said input ends from said light source so as to vary the optical tails illuminated.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said means comprise an opaque member having apertures arranged in a plurality of groups, said member being movable so as to enable each group of apertures to be positioned between the light source and the input end or input ends of said harness or harnesses.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein said member is capable of being indexed relative to said light source.

5. A device according to Claim 4, wherein said member is indexable by a simple solenoid actuated by control means.

6. A device according to Claim 4, wherein said member is indexable electronically or electrically or a combination thereof.

7. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said means comprises a transparent or translucent member carrying a plurality of masked areas, the member being indexable to position said masked areas in turn between the light source and the input end or ends of the harness or harnesses.

8. A fibre optic display device substantially as herein described.

9. A fibre optic display device constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.