GB2158984A - Illuminated signs - Google Patents

Abstract

An illuminated sign has a screen with windows through which selected lights shine. These are energised though conductive bands on the rear of the screen, the lights themselves being mounted on the screen. Alternatively, the screen is backed by a plate and the conductive hands are on that. This plate may be translucent, with lights on its rear side. The arrangement resembles a large printed circuit board, and particularly suitable for the display panels of gaming or amusement-with-prizes machines.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to illuminated signs This invention relates to illuminated signs, and is particularly concerned with the display glasses in gaming or amusement-with-prizes machines, commonly known as fruit machines.

In addition to the reels or drums which spin and stop to determine whether or not a prize is gained, most fruit machines now have one or more extra features to make the game more interesting, and various instructions and indicators are presented on a display panel, known as a 'glass'. These are very largely coated with mirroring, instructions, diagrams, coloured ornamentation, pictures and so on, but with translucent windows through which lights can shine to indicate some event or operation to be performed. With a complex machine there may be a large number of these windows, with a corresponding number of lights. Their mounting and wiring behind the screen is then extremely complicated and occupies a considerable amount of space.

It is the aim of this invention to simplify such an arrangement and to make it more compact.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen itself is effectively a printed circuit board with conductive bands on its rear surface, and the lights are mounted on that surface at the windows to be energisable through said bands.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen is backed by a plate-like member on which the lights are mounted and on which there are conductive bands through which the lights are energisable.

Thus the screen itself is 'normal', but is backed by a large-scale printed circuit board.

This itself may be translucent, of glass or clear plastics, and the lights may then be mounted on its reverse side to show through two layers. These can be face to face, without a gap between. Conventional light bulbs are not generally appropriate, and in both versions it will be preferred to use shallow, button-like elements, approximating to the size of a postage stamp, which can be adhered to the glass or plastics.

In either version the conductive bands may be printed on, or they may be adhesive metallic tape. At least a portion of these conductive bands may appear through the screen as mirroring, a common feature of fruit machine glasses.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided an illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the lights are provided by the ends of optic fibres mounted on the rear of the screen.

1. An illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen itself is effectively a printed circuit board with conductive bands on its rear surface, and the lights are mounted on that surface at the windows to be energisable through said bands.

2. An illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen is backed by a plate-like member on which the lights are mounted and on which there are conductive bands through which the lights are energisable.

3. A sign as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plate-like member is translucent, and the lights are mounted on its reverse side.

4. A sign as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the conductive bands are printed.

5. A sign as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the conductive bands are adhesive metallic tape.

6. A sign as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the conductive bands appear through the screen as mirroring.

7. An illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the lights are provided by the ends of optic fibres mounted on the rear of the screen.

8. A gaming or amusement-with-prizes machine having a display panel incorporating a sign as claimed in any preceding claim.

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

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to illuminated signs This invention relates to illuminated signs, and is particularly concerned with the display glasses in gaming or amusement-with-prizes machines, commonly known as fruit machines. In addition to the reels or drums which spin and stop to determine whether or not a prize is gained, most fruit machines now have one or more extra features to make the game more interesting, and various instructions and indicators are presented on a display panel, known as a 'glass'. These are very largely coated with mirroring, instructions, diagrams, coloured ornamentation, pictures and so on, but with translucent windows through which lights can shine to indicate some event or operation to be performed. With a complex machine there may be a large number of these windows, with a corresponding number of lights. Their mounting and wiring behind the screen is then extremely complicated and occupies a considerable amount of space. It is the aim of this invention to simplify such an arrangement and to make it more compact. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen itself is effectively a printed circuit board with conductive bands on its rear surface, and the lights are mounted on that surface at the windows to be energisable through said bands. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen is backed by a plate-like member on which the lights are mounted and on which there are conductive bands through which the lights are energisable. Thus the screen itself is 'normal', but is backed by a large-scale printed circuit board. This itself may be translucent, of glass or clear plastics, and the lights may then be mounted on its reverse side to show through two layers. These can be face to face, without a gap between. Conventional light bulbs are not generally appropriate, and in both versions it will be preferred to use shallow, button-like elements, approximating to the size of a postage stamp, which can be adhered to the glass or plastics. In either version the conductive bands may be printed on, or they may be adhesive metallic tape. At least a portion of these conductive bands may appear through the screen as mirroring, a common feature of fruit machine glasses. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided an illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the lights are provided by the ends of optic fibres mounted on the rear of the screen. CLAIMS

1. An illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen itself is effectively a printed circuit board with conductive bands on its rear surface, and the lights are mounted on that surface at the windows to be energisable through said bands.

2. An illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the screen is backed by a plate-like member on which the lights are mounted and on which there are conductive bands through which the lights are energisable.

3. A sign as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plate-like member is translucent, and the lights are mounted on its reverse side.

4. A sign as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the conductive bands are printed.

5. A sign as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the conductive bands are adhesive metallic tape.

6. A sign as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the conductive bands appear through the screen as mirroring.

7. An illuminated sign in which selected lights are energisable to show through windows in a screen, wherein the lights are provided by the ends of optic fibres mounted on the rear of the screen.

8. A gaming or amusement-with-prizes machine having a display panel incorporating a sign as claimed in any preceding claim.