GB2510161A

GB2510161A - Edge-lit display apparatus with interchangeable display panel

Info

Publication number: GB2510161A
Application number: GB1301402.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Lewis House; Mark Shane O'toole
Original assignee: CATCHENERGY Ltd
Current assignee: CATCHENERGY Ltd
Priority date: 2013-01-28
Filing date: 2013-01-28
Publication date: 2014-07-30
Also published as: GB201301402D0

Abstract

An edge-lit display apparatus 10 comprises a housing base 12, a light source arranged within the housing base 12 and a display panel substrate 18. The display panel 18 is arranged to be releasably attached to the housing base so that the display panel can be replaced and interchanged. The light interacts with an engraved or cut away area, or diffraction grating upon the surface 22 of the display panel to illuminate a predefined image. The light source is preferably formed by an array of LEDs. Lugs or notches may be provided on the substrate which co-operate with retainers, e.g. spring biased members (28, Fig. 6), provided on the base to retain the substrate in the base. Alternatively rubber grips may be provided on the base. An infra-red sensor may be provided to monitor ambient light and control the level of illumination. The display may form a sign and/or a night light.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO

DISPLAY APPARATUS

The present invention relates to a display apparatus, in particularly to a display apparatus for exhibiting an illuminated sign and more particularly to an illuminated sign for conveying an image to an observer whilst providing a night light.

Previously, night lights, for example low level lighting for a child's bedroom, have been provided using a low wattage light source that provides enough illumination to view a user's surrounds, but also at a sufficiently low illumination to allow the user to sleep with the night light on. Typically, such night lights are provided by small units that can be plugged into a mains electrical socket or a standard lamp with a low wattage light source.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus, for exhibiting an illuminated sign, includes a housing base, a light source arranged within the housing base and a substrate of light transmissive material wherein the substrate is arranged to be releasably attached to the housing base, the housing base is arranged to support the substrate and the light source is arranged to inject visible light into the substrate and the substrate is arranged to release light from a surface of the substrate.

In this manner, visible light can be transmitted by the substrate from a light source and released, for example by reflection or refraction, to be viewed by an observer and the observer will see an illuminated image. Furthermore, the illumination provided by the display apparatus can also be utilised as night light. It will be understood, that the display apparatus can also display a suitable pattern, logo, name, text, device or image during use that is appropriate to the environment or surroundings in which the display apparatus is intended to be used.

The substrate and light source may be arranged such that light is internally reflected within the substrate from an input section of the substrate to an exit area of the substrate where light is released from the surface of the substrate.

The substrate may include a cut away section upon or in the surface of the substrate arranged to refract or reflect light from within the substrate to transmit light from the surface of the substrate. It will be understood that the cut away section may be formed by one or more of the processes: laser ablation; engraving; etching; incising; inscribing; embossing; stamping; routing; or other suitable tooling or pressing process. Alternatively, the substrate may include a diffraction grating upon or in the surface of the substrate arranged to refract or reflect light within the substrate to transmit light from the surface of the substrate. Again, such a diffraction grating can be formed in a similar manner as a cut away section.

The substrate may be arranged to be interchangeable with a different other substrate.

In this manner, a substrate displaying a given pattern, logo, name, text, device or image may be changed for another different substrate displaying a different pattern, logo, name, text, device or image.

The housing base may include a receiving slot therein, the substrate may be plate-like and the receiving slot may be arranged to releasably receive the substrate.

The housing base may include a receiving area and the receiving area may incorporate the light source. The housing base may include a receiving area and the receiving area may include one or more retainers arranged to releasably grip the substrate in position relative to the housing base.

The housing may include a receiving area and the receiving area may include a shoulder region to abut the substrate. The shoulder region in the receiving area may define an aperture arranged to allow light from the light source to pass and enter the substrate.

The light source and substrate may be arranged to cause light generated by the light source to be transmitted within the substrate under total internal reflection. The light source may include one or more arrays of light emitting diodes. In this manner, the intensity of light emitted from the substrate may be varied by switching on or off one or more or the arrays.

The substrate may be transparent, thereby allowing an observer to see through the substrate whilst also viewing light released from the substrate of material. In this manner, the image will appear superimposed upon a scene viewed through the substrate.

The light source may be controllable in accordance with the ambient lighting conditions for which the display apparatus will be operational. The output illumination of the light source may be controlled by an infra-sensor arranged to monitor the ambient lighting conditions. In this manner, the intensity of light emitted from the substrate may be varied in accordance with ambient light conditions to conserve energy and to act as a night light source for a user.

According to another aspect of the invention, a substrate is arranged to be used in conjunction with a display apparatus as described herein.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a housing is arranged to be used in conjunction with a display apparatus as described herein.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates in isometric view, a display apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates in front elevation view, a display apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 3 illustrates in plan view, a display apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 4 illustrates in side elevation, a display apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 5 illustrates in front elevation with partial cut away section, a receiving area for a substrate in accordance with the present invention; Figure 6 illustrates in front elevation, a more detailed view of the receiving area of Figure 5; Figure 7, illustrates in side elevation, a shoulder region, aperture and light emitting diode array according to the present invention; Figure 8, illustrates in side elevation, the transmission of light from a light source to and exit area of the substrate according the present invention; and Figures 9 and 10, illustrate in side elevation, examples of alternative other different substrates that may be interchanged for a substrate removed from the housing of the display apparatus Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, within like references have been used to indicate similar integers therein, a display apparatus 10 comprises a housing base 12 having a receiving area 14 defined in an upper surface 16 and within the housing base 14 arranged to receive one of a multiple of light transmissive substrates of material 18. Each interchangeable substrate 18 includes a pattern, logo, name, text, device or image 20 defined thereon or therein as will be explained below. For example, the substrate 18 of Figures 1 to 4 herein is arranged to provide the illuminated image 20 of a capital "X".

Each substrate 18 is plate-like, comprising two major parallel spaced surfaces 22, 24 connected by the edges 26 of the substrate thereby forming a block of material, in this example a rectangular block of light transmissive and light transparent material, such as glass, polycarbonate or poly methyl methacrylate, for example Acrylic, Perspex, Plexiglas or Lucite.

The substrate 18 includes a cut away section upon or in a surface 22 of the substrate 18 arranged to refract or reflect light from within the substrate 18 such that it is visible to an observer and the visible light will appear as the image provided by the cut away section defined on or in the surface 22 of the substrate 18. It will be understood that the cut away section can be formed by one or more of the processes such as laser ablation, engraving, etching, incising, inscribing, embossing, stamping, routing or other suitable tooling or pressing process of the surface 22 of the substrate 18. Alternatively, the substrate 18 can include a diffraction grating upon or in the surface 22 of the substrate 18, which is arranged to diffract light from within the substrate 18 such that it is visible to an observer and the light will appear as the image applied to the substrate 18. Again, such a diffraction grating can be formed in a similar manner as a cut away section described above.

In this example, the receiving area 14 is defined as a receiving slot in the upper surface 16 of the housing base 12 and a recess area within the housing base 12, as better illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 4. The receiving area 14 is arranged to releasably receive the substrate 18.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, wherein like references have been use to indicate similar integers as those illustrated and described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, the housing base 12 which includes the receiving area 14 that has one or more retainers 28 arranged to releasably grip and secure the substrate 18 in position relative to the housing base 12. From Figure 6, it will be seen that a retainer 28 includes a spring biased member arranged to engage an edge 26 of the substrate 18 and the lower edge 26 of the substrate 18 abuts a lower section of the receiving area 14. It will be understood that the substrate 18 can be releasably retained with respect to the housing base using alternative means such as rubber sections arranged to engage and grip one or more of the edges 26 and/or one or more of the major parallel spaced surfaces 22, 24. The substrate 18 can also have one or more cooperating lugs or notches, not illustrated, arranged to engage with one or more retainers 28 to improve security of the substrate 18 within the receiving area 14.

As better illustrated in Figure 7, wherein like references have been used to indicate similar integers as those illustrated and described with reference to Figures 1 to 6, the lower section of the receiving area 14 includes a shoulder region 30 arranged to abut the lower edge 26 of a substrate 18 when the substrate 18 is positioned within the receiving area 14. An aperture 32 is also defined as a slot within the shoulder region 30 and the aperture 32 is arranged to allow light from a light source 34 to pass through the lower section of the receiving area 14 and enter the lower edge 26 of the substrate 18, whilst the shoulder region 30 provides support for the lower edge 26 of the substrate and hence support for the whole of the substrate 18.

The light source 34 is held in position with respect to the aperture either by attaching the light source 34 to the housing base 12 or to the underside of the shoulder region 30.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the housing base 12 incorporates the light source 34. The light source 34 can be provided by one or more arrays of light emitting diodes arranged in series with respect to one another or in any other convenient configuration.

Referring to Figure 8, wherein like references have been used to indicate similar integers illustrated and described with reference Figure 1 to 7, in operation the light source 34 of the display apparatus 10 is arranged to generate visible light which is injected into the lower edge 26 of the substrate 18 and by total internal reflection between parallel surfaces 22 and 24 traverses a multitude of pathways 36a, 36b through the substrate 18 until the light is reflected, refracted or diffracted out of the substrate 18 by interaction with the cut away section or alternatively the diffraction grating applied to the surface 22 at an exit area 38 of the substrate 18.

In this manner, visible light can be transmitted by the substrate 18 from the light source 34 and released at the exit area 28 to be viewed by an observer and the observer will see an illuminated image 40 that conforms to the image provided by the cut away section or diffraction grating applied to the surface 22 of the substrate 18.

Furthermore, the light source 34 can be controllable in accordance with the ambient lighting conditions for which the display apparatus 10 will be operational. For example, the output illumination of light source 34 can be controlled by an infra-sensor, not illustrated, arranged to monitor the ambient lighting conditions and adjust the illumination intensity of the light source 34 in a predefined manner. The light source 34 can be arranged in more than one array of light emitting diodes that are independently controllable such that the intensity of illumination provided by the light source 34 will depend on the number of arrays of light emitting diodes that are switched on. It will be understood that other forms of lighting arrays or arrangement can be used as a controllable light source 34 in this invention Referring to Figures 9 and 10, wherein like references have been used to indicate similar integers illustrated and described with reference to Figure 1 to 8, it will be understood that the substrate 18 is interchangeable with other different substrates 18a, 18b, arranged to provide an alternative illuminated pattern, logo, name, text, device or image 20a, 20b. For example the substrate 18a of Figure 9 is arranged to provide the illuminated image 20a of a capital "Y" and the substrate 18b of Figure 10 is arranged to provide the illuminated image 20b of a capital "Z". In this manner, a substrate 18 displaying a given pattern, logo, name, text, device or image can be readily changed for another different substrate 18a, 18b displaying a different pattern, logo, name, text, device or image.

It is envisaged that an illuminated substrate 18 will also provide a night light, typically for a child's bedroom and that the substrate 18 will bear a chosen image, for example a cartoon character or the child's name. It will be understood that the image to be illuminated can form the whole of the illuminated substrate 18. That is, the substrate can share the outline of the image to be conveyed.

It will also be understood, that the light source 34 can either be a single colour of visible light or a multicolour source of illumination, for example a source of red, green and blue coloured light. The light source 34 can be controlled by a suitable remote control arrangement.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A display apparatus, for exhibiting an illuminated sign, including a housing base, a light source arranged within the housing base and a substrate of light transmissive material wherein the substrate is arranged to be releasably attached to the housing base, the housing base is arranged to support the substrate and the light source is arranged to inject visible light into the substrate and the substrate is arranged to release light from a surface of the substrate.
2. A display apparatus, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the substrate and light source are arranged such that light is internally reflected within the substrate from an input section of the substrate to an exit area of the substrate where light is released from the surface of the substrate.
3. A display apparatus, as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the substrate includes a cut away section upon or in the surface of the substrate arranged to refract or reflect light from within the substrate to transmit light from the surface of the substrate.
4. A display apparatus, as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the substrate includes a diffraction grating upon or in the surface of the substrate arranged to refract or reflect light within the substrate to transmit light from the surface of the substrate.
5. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the substrate is arranged to be interchangeable with a different other substrate.
6. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing base includes a receiving slot therein, the substrate is plate-like and the receiving slot is arranged to releasably receive the substrate.
7. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing base includes a receiving area and the receiving area incorporates the light source.
8. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing base includes a receiving area and the receiving area includes one or more retainers arranged to releasably grip the substrate in position relative to the housing base.
9. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing includes a receiving area and the receiving area includes a shoulder region to abut the substrate.
10. A display apparatus, as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the shoulder region in the receiving area defines an aperture arranged to allow light from the light source to pass and enter the substrate.
11. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light source and substrate are arranged to cause light generated by the light source to be transmitted within the substrate under total internal reflection.
12. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light source includes one or more arrays of light emitting diodes.
13. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the substrate is transparent.
14. A display apparatus, as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the light source is controllable in accordance with the ambient lighting conditions for which the display apparatus will be operational.
15. A display apparatus, as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the output illumination of the light source is controlled by an infra-sensor arranged to monitor the ambient lighting conditions.
16. A substrate arranged to be used in conjunction with a display apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.
17. A housing arranged to be used in conjunction with a display apparatus as claimed in any of Claims ito 15.
18. An illuminated sign, housing or substrate, substantially as illustrated in and/or described with reference to the accompanying drawings.