KR102638118B1 - Interior Illuminated Road Signs - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an internally illuminated road sign. More specifically, it includes a housing having an inner space, a colored sheet forming a through-hole in the form of a letter or symbol, and a through-hole provided at the bottom of the colored sheet. It includes a transmissive sheet exposed through a transmissive sheet, a board capable of transmitting light provided at the bottom of the semi-visible sheet with excess brightness of the transmittance, and a diffusion sheet provided at the bottom of the board, wherein the inner surface of the housing pushes the LED light forward or around the surrounding area. A diffusion sheet for diffusion is provided, and a pair of support frames are provided facing each other so that a pair of diffusion sheets located in the front and rear directions form a space spaced apart from each other, and each support frame has a corresponding It is provided with a support frame and a diffusion sheet to be able to reflect light, and a substrate on which a plurality of LEDs are formed is provided on one of the support frames perpendicular to the diffusion sheet, and the substrate is spaced apart from the diffusion sheet and supports a corresponding support frame. By being equipped with a frame to enable light irradiation, the LED mounting structure inside the housing has been improved to enable lighter weight, thereby reducing costs and reducing the size of the battery and solar cell. This is an internally illuminated road sign that can be stably supported by the front board.

Description

Interior Illuminated Road Signs}

The present invention relates to an internally illuminated road sign. More specifically, the LED mounting structure inside the housing is improved to reduce the weight, reduce costs, and reduce the size of the battery and solar cell, while the front board is stably supported to emit surface light. It's about road signs.

Generally, there are road signs on the road that provide directions to drivers through signs and letters (e.g., 20 mm to Seoul when going straight or 30 km to Incheon when turning right) or the speed limit of the road (e.g., 100 km/s). It is installed.

At this time, road signs are constructed by attaching a film of a specific color to a polygonal board to make them visible in contrast so that the symbols or letters on the road sign can be easily identified. In particular, the letters or symbols are made of retroreflective film, etc. It is configured to be visible and retro-reflects the headlight light of a driving vehicle even at night, allowing the driver to identify letters or symbols on road signs.

And recently, in places where there is frequent fog, where traffic accidents occur frequently at night, or where visibility is not sufficient due to the road structure, LEDs or optical fibers, etc. are built into the housing, and letters are formed on road signs with the LED light. Internally illuminated road signs are being installed so that the B symbol can be clearly identified.

However, internally illuminated road signs such as the above are constructed so that the light from the LED does not shine straight into the driver's eyes due to safety issues, so a V-cut light guide plate is installed along with the LED inside the housing so that it emits surface light. The weight had no choice but to increase,

In particular, when the LED located in the inner space of the housing is located behind the V-cut light guide plate and irradiates light in a direct manner, a certain amount of space must be provided between the light guide plate and the LED to diffuse the LED light.

At this time, even if the edge of the board located in the front is fixed, it is manufactured in a large size (e.g. 4.0m Due to the space created, it was pressed inward, causing internal failure (e.g. water leakage, short circuit, damage, etc.).

KR 10-0998741 B1

Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the mounting structure of the LED inside the housing in an internally illuminated road sign, thereby reducing the weight of the road sign, while reducing costs and enabling stable operation even if the size or quantity of batteries and solar cells are reduced. It is intended for internally illuminated road signs.

In addition, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an internally illuminated road sign that emits surface light while being supported flatly and stably even if the board located on the front is not provided with a separate support means.

Therefore, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a housing having an inner space; Colored sheets forming hollow sections in the form of letters or symbols; A transparent sheet provided at the bottom of the colored sheet and exposed through the through hole; A light-transmitting board provided at the bottom of the transparent sheet; Including a diffusion sheet provided at the bottom of the board,

The inner surface of the housing is provided with a reflector to push the LED light forward and a diffusion sheet to diffuse the LED light to the surrounding area,

A pair of diffusion sheets located at the front and rear form a space spaced apart by a pair of support frames facing each other, while each support frame is equipped to reflect light with the corresponding support frame or diffusion sheet. , the support frame is characterized in that a board with LEDs is provided perpendicularly from the diffusion sheet, so that the board located in the front is stably supported and is provided to emit surface light by reflection and diffusion of light when illuminated from the side.

In addition, the support frame of the present invention has inclined or curved reflective surfaces at the top and bottom, respectively, centered on a concave groove that allows the substrate to be positioned perpendicularly from the diffusion sheet, and each reflective surface has an acute angle at the end. It has a contact surface that extends outward and is in close contact with the diffusion sheet or the inner surface to dissipate heat, and the contact surface between the upper and lower parts is formed so that it can be supported and maintained horizontally by a support surface.

In addition, the support frame of the present invention is made by applying constant pressure to a stainless steel plate made of nickel chromium alloy steel and bending the flat plate with a smooth surface by buffing or electrolytic polishing to reflect light when accommodating the LED substrate inside. ,

The reflective surface of the support frame is characterized in that it is further provided with a reflector having a smooth surface by buffing or electrolytic polishing by applying constant pressure to a stainless steel plate made of nickel chromium alloy steel.

In addition, the reflector provided on the inner side of the housing of the present invention is made of a flat surface with a smooth surface by buffing or electrolytic polishing by applying constant pressure to a stainless steel plate of nickel chromium alloy steel.

The center or one end of the flat plate is bent to protrude so that the diffusion sheet located at the top is supported at an angle and appears to emit surface light uniformly with improved brightness.

Therefore, the present invention forms a space spaced apart from a pair of diffusion sheets located in the front and rear direction by a pair of support frames, and the LED is mounted vertically from the diffusion sheet to the support frame to enable side irradiation. , The spaced space regularly formed between a pair of diffusion sheets is made to appear surface-emitting through light reflection and diffusion.

At this time, it was possible to secure visibility and reduce weight while maintaining a brightness of over 500 lux without having to install a separate V-cut light guide plate in the spaced apart space. In particular, the quantity of LEDs was reduced accordingly, thereby reducing costs and reducing the size or quantity of batteries and solar cells. As a result, we were able to secure price competitiveness.

In addition, the present invention stably supports the board so that it is not bent or pressed inward even when an external force is applied by a plurality of support frames provided in the inner space of the housing, and prevents short circuits or breakdowns due to internal water leakage during the rainy season. It became possible.

In addition, the reflector provided with the diffusion sheet on the inner side of the housing of the present invention is made of a flat plate with a smooth surface by applying pressure to a stainless steel plate made of nickel chromium alloy steel and buffed or electrolytically polished, and is formed at the center or one side of the plate. By bending to protrude, the diffusion sheet located at the top is positioned at an angle and emits uniform surface light with an improved brightness of over 1,000 lux.

1 is a perspective view of a road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of a road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 to 7 are state diagrams of road signs according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views briefly showing the installation of a support frame for a road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the terms used in the specification and claims of the present invention should not be construed limited to their dictionary meaning, and the inventor may appropriately define the concept of the term in order to explain his or her invention in the best way. Based on this, it should be interpreted with meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention.

Therefore, the configuration according to the embodiments described in the specification and the configuration shown in the drawings are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not express all of the technical idea of the present invention, so these configurations cannot be replaced at the time of filing. It should be understood that it may be implemented in various ways through possible equivalents and modifications.

In addition, it “consists of” the present invention. , “is formed.” etc. is not limited in a closed sense and “includes.” Or, it should be interpreted in an open sense, such as “to be provided.”

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 3 and 4 are road signs according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view showing the combined configuration of the sign, Figures 5 to 7 show the road sign examined from the side and the brightness measured, and Figure 8 shows the support frame provided in the inner space of the housing to stably prevent the board from being pressed. It shows support.

To explain with reference to this, the road sign according to an embodiment of the present invention is fixed to a pillar installed on a sidewalk or road with a bracket, etc., and includes an LED and a light-transmitting board 40 in a housing 10 having an inner space. It is an internally illuminated road sign that is provided so that letters or symbols formed on the surface of the board are visible by the LED light.

At this time, a transparent sheet 30 made of a material capable of transmitting light is attached to the top of the board 40, and a colored sheet 20 forming a through hole cut in the form of a symbol or letter is attached to the top of the transparent sheet 30. A diffusion sheet 50 is attached to the bottom of the board 40 to diffuse the light of the LED located in the inner space of the housing to make it appear surface-emitting.

In addition, the inner surface of the housing 10 is provided with a reflector 90 to push the LED light forward and a diffusion sheet 80 to diffuse the light to the surroundings, and the housing 10 is provided on the inner surface. A pair of support frames (60, 60a) are provided facing each other around the diffusion sheet (80), so that when the board (40) is installed in the inner space, the diffusion sheet (50) located at the front and the support frame (60, 60a) are positioned at the rear. A uniformly spaced space is formed between the positioned diffusion sheets 80.

At this time, one of the supporting frames 60 and 60a facing each other or each support frame is provided with a substrate 70 on which an LED 71 is formed, and the LED light is irradiated from the side to the corresponding support frame between a pair of diffusion sheets. By improving the structure to form the spaced space into a surface emitting space through light reflection and diffusion, it is possible to maintain brightness of more than 500 lux without having to install a separate V-cut light guide plate in the spaced space, ensuring visibility and reducing weight. Meanwhile, it has made it possible to secure price competitiveness.

Hereinafter, each configuration will be described in more detail. The housing 10 forms an inner space to accommodate the LED substrate, and preferably includes a front frame 11 with an opening in the center and a border. The rear frames 12 of the bent shape are engaged and combined with each other to provide an internal space on the inside.

At this time, the front frame (11) and the rear frame (12) have an F-shaped cross section in order to remain firmly fixed to the pillar even when external force is applied, and the edges are tightly coupled to prevent rainwater, etc. from seeping inside. It is provided without limitation and is not limited.

In addition, the board 40 is made of a light-transmitting material such as PC or acrylic, and has a thickness that can maintain a somewhat flat state even when external forces such as rain, snow, and wind are applied.

In addition, the transparent sheet 30 is made of a material that transmits the light of the LED provided inside the housing, and is especially made of a color that contrasts with the colored sheet 20, so that it is exposed through the through hole of the colored sheet 20, thereby protecting the driver. It is visible in the field of view.

In addition, the colored sheet 20 is made of a color that contrasts with the transparent sheet, and in particular, forms a through hole cut into a specific symbol or character shape to provide information to the driver.

For example, by attaching a green colored sheet forming a hole to the top of a white transparent sheet, the milky white transparent sheet located at the bottom is exposed through the hole, and white symbols or characters are clearly displayed accordingly. It is to be identified. At this time, the color and shape of the through hole can be formed in various ways depending on the name, speed, symbol, etc., and is not limited.

In addition, depending on the embodiment, the colored sheet 20 may be made of a retroreflective sheet and reflect the light from vehicle headlights at night, allowing the driver's eyes to identify letters or symbols formed on road signs.

In addition, the diffusion sheets 50 and 80 are light diffusion sheets made by extruding a thermoplastic resin into a sheet. Typically, both sides of the sheet are pressed with a roller on which fine wrinkles or fine irregularities are formed to form fine uneven patterns on the surface to transmit light. It is diffused to the surrounding area so that it appears as surface light.

In addition, the reflector 90 is provided at the bottom of the diffusion sheet 80 to push light emitted through the diffusion sheet 80 to the front where the board is located.

At this time, the reflector 90 may be attached to the inner side, but is preferably made of a metal material so that the adhesive layer of the reflector 90 is not damaged while dissipating the heat generated when the LED emits light.

That is, the reflector 90 may be a reflective sheet or an acrylic mirror, but depending on the embodiment, it is made of a flat plate with a smooth reflective surface by applying constant pressure to a stainless steel plate of nickel chromium alloy steel and buffing or electrolytic polishing. It may be welded to the housing along with a support frame.

In addition, the reflector 90 may be provided in complete contact with the inner surface, but as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a protrusion 91 is formed in the center or on one side of the flat plate with a smooth reflective surface to form a diffusion sheet. (80) is provided to diffuse light in a spaced and inclined position, thereby pushing the LED light irradiated straight in the side direction forward as much as possible, and at the same time, the spaced space filled with photons is divided by the diffusion sheet to provide improved brightness. It can also be made to emit light.

In addition, the support frames 60 and 60a form a space spaced apart between a pair of diffusion sheets, and in particular, allow the LED 71 substrate 70 accommodated inside to spread and irradiate the LED light laterally and at the same time to the front. It provides stable support to prevent the board from being bent or pressed.

At this time, the support frames (60, 60a) have reflective surfaces (62) that are inclined/curved at the upper and lower portions, respectively, centered on the concave groove (61) that allows the LED substrate (70) to be positioned perpendicularly from the diffusion sheets (50,80). ), and the end of each reflective surface 62 extends outward at an acute angle to form a contact surface 63 in close contact with the inner surface or diffusion sheet, and the upper and lower contact surfaces 63 are supported. It has a shape that can be supported so as to maintain the surface (64).

At this time, the reflective surface 62 may be provided with a separate reflector 65 or a reflective sheet to scatter the side irradiated light at an angle, but preferably, buffing is performed by applying constant pressure to the surface of a stainless steel plate made of nickel chromium alloy steel. It may be formed by bending a flat plate with a highly reflective surface to the shape of the support frame while working or electrolytic polishing.

For reference, the concave groove 61 is a place where the LED substrate 70 is inserted. In particular, the LED substrate 70 is positioned vertically and spaced apart from the diffusion sheets 50 and 80 located at the front and rear, so that the LED substrate 70 is positioned at the side. Make investigation possible.

In addition, the contact surface 63 is bent outward at an acute angle at the end of the reflective surface 62 and has an extended shape, and is particularly in close contact with the board 40 located at the front or inside the rear frame 12 located at the rear. It adheres closely to the side. At this time, the lower contact surface is in close contact with the inner surface of the rear frame 12 and transfers the heat generated when the LED 71 operates to the rear frame 12 to enable heat dissipation treatment.

At this time, the upper contact surface 63 and the lower contact surface 63 are formed horizontally, and in particular, the upper contact surface and the lower contact surface are supported by the vertically bent support surface 64 to prevent external force (e.g., wind) from being applied to the board. Even so, it supports the board so that it can remain flat.

In addition, as a pair of support frames (60, 60a) are installed facing each other, one end or the other end of the spaced apart space may be open inside the inner space of the housing, but it is blocked by the fixing frame (66) to minimize light loss. By doing so, letters, numbers, or symbols shown through the study section can be recognized clearly.

At this time, the fixed frame 66 may be provided with a diffusion sheet or a reflective sheet depending on the embodiment.

In addition, the substrate 70 is formed or connected long in the longitudinal direction according to the shape of the concave groove 61, and at this time, each substrate 70 is connected in series/parallel through a connector to form the concave groove of the support frame 60 ( 61) It is provided inside.

In addition, the substrate 70 may be provided with one or more LEDs 71, and a wide-angle lens 72 for light diffusion may be included at the tip of the LED. At this time, the wide-angle lens 72 is made of an oval-shaped lens that is narrow in the left and right directions and curved longer in the up and down directions than in the left and right directions so that it can spread light long in the up and down directions.

Figure 9 shows a support frame provided in accordance with the through-hole portion to partially emit surface light.

To explain with reference to this, the support frames (60, 60a) of the present invention are provided in the inner space of the housing, and in particular, the support frames are partially provided with a plurality of support frames (60, 60a) to fit the through-hole portion of the colored sheet. It could be.

At this time, the board 40, diffusion sheet 50, or colored sheet 20 blocks the light of the LED 71 from being exposed outside the housing 10, allowing the LED light to be exposed only through the through hole as much as possible. This allows characters or symbols formed in to be recognized. In other words, the goal is to reduce costs and minimize unnecessary power waste.

In addition, fixed frames are provided at one end and the other end of the support frames (60, 60a) to minimize light loss in spaced apart spaces, and depending on the embodiment, the fixed frames may be provided with a reflective sheet along with a diffusion sheet. There is.

Figure 10 shows a support frame provided throughout the inner space to emit surface light as a whole.

To explain with reference to this, the support frames (60, 60a) of the present invention are provided with a plurality of support frames (60, 60a) at regular intervals inside the inner space depending on the embodiment, so that the entire surface emits light and the board located on the front is pressed. It can be configured so that it can be supported without losing.

And, depending on the embodiment, these road signs include a solar cell that converts light energy into electrical energy, a battery that charges the electrical energy converted by the solar cell, and a battery that charges the electrical energy converted by the solar cell. Alternatively, it may further include a controller that manages to transmit the charged electric energy of the battery to the board, and a communication module for remotely controlling the controller.

The present invention has been described so far with reference to the attached drawings, but these are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art can easily implement various modifications and equivalent theories. There will be. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the patent claims.

10:Housing
11: Front frame 12: Rear frame
20: Colored sheet 30: Transparent sheet
40: Board 50: Diffusion sheet
60, 60a: support frame 61: concave part
62: Reflective surface 63: Contact surface
64: Support surface 65: Reflector
66: Fixed frame
70: Substrate 71: LED
72: Wide angle lens 80: Diffusion sheet
90: Reflector 91: Protrusion

Claims (6)

A housing having an inner space; Colored sheets forming hollow sections in the form of letters or symbols; A transparent sheet provided at the bottom of the colored sheet and exposed through the through hole; A light-transmitting board provided at the bottom of the transparent sheet; In the internally illuminated road sign including a diffusion sheet provided at the bottom of the board,
The internal illuminated road sign is equipped with a reflector on the inner side of the housing to push the LED light forward and a diffusion sheet to diffuse it to the surrounding area, and a pair of support frames are provided between a pair of diffusion sheets located at the front and rear. A space is formed at regular intervals, and each support frame is provided to reflect light, and a substrate equipped with an LED is provided perpendicularly from the diffusion sheet,
The support frame is provided with inclined or curved reflective surfaces at the top and bottom, respectively, centered on the concave groove where the substrate is located, and extends outward at an acute angle at the end of each reflective surface, and is in close contact with the diffusion sheet or the inner surface. A contact surface is provided to be heat-dissipating, and a support surface is provided to maintain a horizontal position between the upper and lower contact surfaces, so that the board located in the front can be supported even if a space is provided between a pair of support frames. become,
The reflector is an internally illuminated road sign characterized in that the diffusion sheet is supported at an angle by a protrusion formed in the center or on one side of the flat plate to diffuse light while being spaced apart, thereby emitting surface light with improved brightness. delete According to paragraph 1,
The reflector or support frame is a stainless steel plate made of nickel chrome alloy steel that is subjected to constant pressure and buffing or electrolytic polishing to bend the flat plate with a smooth surface to reflect light. An internally illuminated road sign. delete According to paragraph 1,
The road sign includes a solar cell that converts light energy into electrical energy, a battery that charges the electrical energy converted by the solar cell, and a battery that charges the electrical energy converted by the solar cell or charges the battery. An internally illuminated road sign, characterized in that it further includes a controller that manages electrical energy to be applied to the substrate, and a communication module for remotely controlling the controller. According to paragraph 1,
A pair of support frames are each provided to enable light irradiation according to the through-hole portion of the colored sheet,
As the support frames are installed facing each other, fixing frames are installed at one end and the other end of the spaced space formed between the pair of diffusion sheets to prevent light loss in the spaced space when the LED emits light, and the letters are visible through the through hole. An internally illuminated road sign characterized by clearly recognizable numbers or symbols.