GB2485624A

GB2485624A - Rear illuminated graphical display with masking layer.

Info

Publication number: GB2485624A
Application number: GB201107679A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Libor Jordan
Original assignee: SPOL S R O DEKOR
Current assignee: SPOL S R O DEKOR
Priority date: 2010-11-18
Filing date: 2011-05-09
Publication date: 2012-05-23
Also published as: ITUD20110005U1; FR2967806A1; CZ21563U1; GB201107679D0; DE202011050070U1

Abstract

A rear illuminated graphical display sign comprises a foreground graphical element 1 and a background graphical element 2, both printed on the front of a transparent carrier plate 3. A lightproof masking layer 4 is printed on the backside of the carrier plate 3 and is provided with an inner cut-out section 8, which copies the shape of the foreground graphical element 1 in a slightly larger enlarged size. The enlarged inner cut-out 8 causes the light coming from a light source (S, Fig. 1) to form a peripheral aura (7, Fig. 1) in front of the display around the foreground graphical element 1. The edges of the front of the carrier plate may be unprinted (6, Fig. 3) to create an aura around the background graphical element.

Description

I

Luminary Graphical Display

Technical field

The invention concerns the luminary display and it is directly related to the graphical part of the luminary display.

State of the art The principle of placing the graphical part in front of the light source, thus the principle on which the luminary displays operate, is well known. On the contrary the approach of work with the graphical part, it has still in progress.

The graphical part of the display is imaginary divided on the graphical elements of foreground, which is e.g. logo, text, picture etc., and graphical elements of background, which is the background bordering the logo, text, picture and things like that. These graphical elements are subsequently applied to the carrier from transparent material, e.g. plexiglass.

The conventional luminary displays are known, where the whole graphical part, ergo foreground graphical elements as well as background graphical elements, is applied on the front or the back side of the carrier from the transparent material. The result was the visual appearance giving flat, so two-dimensional impression.

Later developments lead to so called physical separation of the graphical elements of the foreground and graphical elements of the background. In other words, the foreground graphical elements are printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier and the graphical elements of the background on the back side of the transparent carrier. So both sides of the carrier are used. As the graphical elements are separated by the transparent material thickness, the final effect seems to be "deeper". So the flat, two-dimensional impression is partly eliminated.

The idea of physical separation is described e.g. in documents US 5414947, US 5682697 and EP 0607261 Bi, which are based on adding of the reflection layer to the separated graphical elements. Background graphical elements are conventionally put on the back side of the transparent carrier.

But first white, or other coloured reflection layer is applied on the foreside of the transparent carrier, the shape of which corresponds with the shape of the foreground graphical elements. This reflection layer is printed in register with the background graphical elements, printed on the back side of the carrier.

That means that the white reflection layer "overlaps" the opening in the print on the back side of the carrier. The foreground graphical elements are then printed on this white reflection layer, so on the foreside of the carrier. The principle: the light from the light source (placed behind the graphical part) comes through the hole in the background, hits the white reflection layer and reflects back. After the falling on background graphical elements it forms a light line (aura) measuring several mm up to several cm.

The patent EP 1782411 (Bi) applies the reflection layer even more intensively. Specifically, the white reflection layer (can be in other colour), corresponding by its shape with the shape of foreground graphical elements, is printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier, whereas the white reflection layer (can be in other colour) in the shape of background graphical elements is printed on the back side of the transparent carrier. The whole graphics (the foreground graphical elements as well as the background graphical elements) is printed on the front side of the transparent carrier.

Obviously, this principle uses reflection layers and there is no physical separation anymore, as all the graphical elements are printed from the front side. The principle: the light coming from the light source reflects back from the reflection layer on the back side of the carrier (it partly penetrates through it, too). The light in its full intensity comes only through the opening in back reflection layer, then it hits the reflection layer that is printed on the front side of the carrier and reflects backwards. The reflected light hits the reflection layer printed on the back side of the carrier, as a result it reflects again, this time forwards. The light forms aura in the area of foreground graphical elements, specifically in the area of background graphical elements on the front part of the carrier.

The methods described above, even if they are progressive, they have negative characteristics, respectively technical demands connected with the process of register of the foreside reflection layers and backside reflection layers, furthermore there are demands connected with the register of foreground graphical elements and background graphical elements. The economic factor is no less significant, as the latter methods in the first place require the print of foreside reflection layer and backside reflection layer as well as the print of graphical elements of within so called physical separation.

Moreover, the whole process is time consuming, as the single layers of the print should be dry enough before further application.

The aim of the invention is to introduce the luminary graphical display which would not require any application of reflection layer on the foreside and the backside of the carrier and it would not be necessary to work with physical separation of graphical elements, which could make the process of printing considerably easier.

The feature the invention The disadvantages mentioned above are to the great extent eliminated by the luminary graphical display according to the invention where the inner cut made in the lightproof layer copies the shape of foreground graphical element in enlarged size and the inner cut is then enlarged by the shape extension at thickness H for the light coming from the light source to form the contour aura in front of the display around the foreground graphical element.

In an preferred embodiment on the outer edge of the background graphical element there is an unprinted edge for the light coming from the light source to form the peripheral contour aura in front of the display around the

background graphical element.

DescriQtion of the drawings

The invention will be described by means of drawings where Fig. 1 shows the schematic section of the display according to the first embodiment according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows exploded display according to the Fig.1 into layers, Fig. 3 shows schematic section of the display according to the second embodiment according to the invention and Fig. 4 shows exploded display according to the Fig.3 into layers.

Preferred embodiment of the invention In Fig. 1 the schematic section of the display according to the first embodiment through the graphical elements 1 and 2, and the transparent carrier 3 and lightproof layer 4 is shown. The foreground graphical element 1 is seen in the figure, which is printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier 3, there may be more elements, further there is the background graphical element 2, that is printed also on the foreside of the transparent carrier 3, further the printed lightproof layer 4, so called blackout layer, on the backside of the transparent carrier can be seen. There is an inner cut 8 carried out in the lightproof layer 4 and it copies the shape of the foreside graphical element 1 in enlarged size. The inner cut 8 is enlarged by the shape extension 5 at thickness H for the light transmission from the light source S to form the contour aura 7 in front of the display and around the foreground graphical element 1. The area of shape extension 5 is shown in the Fig.1 by two parallel dotted lines marking the area, where thanks to the absence of the lightproof blackout layer 4 on the backside of the carrier 3 as well as the dark colour of background graphical elements 2 the aura 7 is appearing.

In the Fig.2 the composition of the display is more apparent thanks to disintegrated representation of elements. This is the first embodiment, with graphics with dark background graphical elements 2. There are foreground graphical elements 1, for illustration in the shape of a star, but it can be a bottle or any picture element, printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier 3, which is e.g. above mentioned plexiglass, background graphical elements 2 which is the background where the picture element is to become apparent and also this is printed on the foreside of the carrier 3 and on the other side of the carrier 3, the lightproof layer 4 applied provided with an inner cut 8. As mentioned above, the cut 8 copies the shape of foreground graphical element 1 in enlarged size, so in the case of the star, but it is enlarged by shape extension 5 at thickness H for the light coming from the light source S to form the contour aura 7 in front of the display and around the foreground graphical element 1.

The principle is that the light coming from light source S stops when contacting the lightproof layer 4 and so it does not penetrate to the area of background graphical elements 2. On the contrary the light coming into the transparent carrier 3 in the place where there is not any lightproof layer 4, and so in the area of foreside graphical elements 1, the light transilluminates these graphical elements in full force. Since the lightproof layer 4 as a foil was printed with an inner cut 8 some mm bigger, the light, which is not stopped or anyhow diminished, falls on the background graphical elements 2. That is the line at thickness of some mm mentioned above. Thanks to the dark colour of background graphical elements 2 the light naturally dims, and the final effect is a visual effect of the aura, lining the foreside graphical elements 1.

In the Fig.3 the schematic cross section of the display of the second embodiment according to the invention is shown. The graphical element of the foreground 1 is seen, which is printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier 3, further the graphical element of the background 2, that is also printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier 3, and furthermore next to the background graphical element 2 there is not printed edge 6. In case of serigraphy this part is transparent, it complies with the visual appearance of the transparent carrier 3. When using a translucent sticker with a digital printmaking, in this area the sticker is left without a print. And so it has its genuine translucent image.

Two adjoining, parallel lines mark off an area, where thanks to absence of lightproof blackout layer on the back side of the carrier 6 and thanks to the light material of unprinted edge 6, lining the graphical part (transparent in case of serigraphy or translucent in case of sticker), another light peripheral contour aura 9 is created.

In Fig.4, the composition of the display is clearer thanks to disintegrated representation of the elements composition. This is the second embodiment, that is the embodiment with the background luminary graphical elements made as not printed edge 6. This one is printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier 3, next to the graphical element of the background 2, and on the other side of the carrier 3 where lightproof layer 4 provided with an inner cut 8 is applied. It is not shown here for simplification but on the place of reference sign 8 there is the same arrangement as in the Fig. 2. The inner cut 8 copies the shape of the foreground graphic element I in enlarged size, so this is here the case of the star, but it is enlarged by the shape extention 5, the thickness is H for the light coming from light source S for creating the contour aura 7 in front of the display, that is around the graphical element of the foreground. What is more, next to the unprinted edge 6 there is visible a peripheral aura 9. There is not a lightproof layer 4 under the unprinted edge.

The principle is that the light coming from the light source stops when contacting the lightproof layer 4 and so it does not go to unprinted areas 6, which are the areas with original properties. On the contrary the light coming to the transparent carrier in the place where there is not a lightproof layer, so in the area of the graphical elements of the foreground I and the background 2, it transilluminates the graphical elements in full force. Since the lightproof layer 4 as a foil was printed with a peripheral edge some mm smaller, the light, that is not stopped or anyhow diminished, falls on the graphical elements of unprinted areas 6 and as a result another light line with thickness of some mm is formed around them which makes impression of a light peripheral contour aura 9.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Luminary graphical display, consisting of a foreground graphical element (1), printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier (3), further from the background graphical element (2) printed on the foreside of the transparent carrier (3), and from the lightproof layer (4) printed from the backside of the carrier (3) and it is provided with the inner cut (8), characterized by that the inner cut (8) made in the lightproof layer (4) copies the shape of foreground graphical element (1) in enlarged size and the inner cut (8) is then enlarged by the shape extension (5) at thickness (H) for the light coming from the light source (S) to form the contour aura (7) in front of the display around the foreground graphical element (1).
2. Luminary graphical display according to the claim 1, characterized by that on the outer edge of the background graphical element (2) there is an unprinted edge (6) for the light coming from the light source (S) to form the peripheral contour aura (9) in front of the display around the background graphical element (2).