MXPA97004254A - Fuel distributor illuminated by fibrasopti - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel or board assembly including a translucent panel and a fiber optic graphic board positioned below the translucent panel to impart illumination through at least a part of the translucent panel wherein the illumination of the fiber optic graphic board by a light source is described. leads to the illumination of the fiber optic graphic board and of at least a part of the translucent panel

Description

FUEL DISTRIBUTOR ILLUMINATED BY OPTICAL FIBERS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a system for illuminating a graphic and translucent board, especially a graphic device and a panel which are part of a retail gasoline distributor.

ANTECEDENTS OF THE TECHNIQUE Gasoline distribution pumps are used at gasoline service stations to transfer gasoline from a gas tank to a fuel tank of a user's vehicle. Since gasoline is a flammable liquid, safety regulations or precautions limit the type of lighting that can be used in and around the distributor. These regulations protect customers and employees from unsafe lighting systems which could ignite gasoline in normal service or if a leak develops at the dealer. Ref.024926 The limitations of such lighting restrict the type of illuminated graphic warning devices which can be used on and around the gasoline distributor. The devices or fluorescent or incandescent light devices could illuminate graphics on portions of the distributor. It could be difficult, however, to satisfy the entire security regulations with such lighting sources. Safety regulations include limits on the maximum voltage used in the illumination of warning graphics. Another problem with these lighting sources is the size. The lower door of the gasoline distributor is a primary area for applying warning graphics such as the company name and / or the company's brand or service mark. Still, there is only a very limited area below the lower door of the distributor to install such lighting apparatus. Accordingly, it could be advantageous to have a safe and space-saving lighting apparatus, for use in the application of illuminated warning graphics to the lower door of a gasoline distribution pump, to the outer side end panels, to the valance or valance on the top of the dispenser and on and around the meter reading area.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a panel assembly, which includes a graphic board, and a number of optical fiber wires placed to illuminate at least part of the graphic board. The illumination of the portions that receive the light of the fiber optic threads by a light source, lead to the illumination of the light emitting portions of the optical fiber threads. The panel assembly is attached to a lower door of the fuel dispenser on one or more sides of the dispenser, to the outer side end panels of the dispenser, to the valance at the top of the dispenser and / or on or around the reading area external meter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an exploded view of a panel assembly embodiment wherein fiber optic wires having side light emitting portions are used.

Figure 2A is an exploded view of another embodiment of the panel assembly where fiber optic wires having end light emitting portions are used. Figure 2B is a piece-by-piece view of a portion of Figure 2A. Figure 2C is a side view of Figure 2B. Figures 3A and 3B show a front view and a side view of one embodiment of the panel assembly fixed to the lower door of a gasoline distribution pump. Figures 4A and 4B show front and side views, respectively, of the panel assembly fixed to a front access panel and a light receiving portion of the optical fiber wires located remote in a control box on a side portion of a gasoline distribution pump. Figures 5A and 5B show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly fixed to a lower front door and another graphic board assembly fixed to an upper portion of a top hollow portion of a gasoline dispenser, wherein the graphic board fixed to the lower door has receiving ends of the light of the optical fiber strands located remotely in a control box shown in Figure 6B. Figures 6A and 6B show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly fixed to a lower front door and another graphic board assembly fixed in the center of an upper hollow portion of the gasoline distributor, where the board Graphic fixed to the lower door has light receiving ends of the optical fiber strands located remote in a control box shown in Figure 6B. Figures 7A and 7B show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly fixed to a lower front door and another graphic board assembly fixed to a side portion of the gasoline distributor, wherein both graphic boards have receiving ends of the light of the optical fiber strands located remotely in a control box shown in Figure 7A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY A. Panel Assembly In Figure 1, graphic 105 is laminated or placed as a layer below translucent panel 110 to impose partially opaque, partially translucent graphic 105 on translucent panel 110. Alternatively, graphic 105 is applied on the front of the translucent panel 110 which requires another translucent panel (not shown) on the front of the graphic for protection. The graph 105 is applied by any conventional graphic application means such as a label or by screen printing. Screen printing is the most common and economical way to apply a graphic. Where the graphic is applied to a label, the label is laminated or placed as a layer on the translucent panel 110 by conventional securing or securing means, such as by means of an adhesive. The translucent panel 110 is made of plastic, but is preferably a very strong material such as a polycarbonate plastic, such as that sold by General Electric under the trade name "LEXAN". Placed below the graph 15 is the optical fiber strip 115. The optical fiber strip 115 is comprised of one or more fiber optic strands. The fiber optic strip 115 may be of the type having side cuts in the optical fiber strands for the release of light. An example of a fiber optic strip can be purchased from Fiberstars of Freemont California, E.U.A. Alternatively, the fiber optic strip 115 may be a mat having end emitting portions of light distributed along the surface of the mat, which is available from Lumitex of Ohio, E.U.A. Where the stratification is used to apply the optical fiber strip 115 to the back of the graphic, the strip is laminated on the back of the graphic 105 by means such as an adhesive. The fiber optic strip is placed below the graph, but it is not fixed directly to the graph. The number of fiber optic strips can be one or more and will vary depending on the type of graphic device that is illuminated. The fiber optic strips are optionally made of cables or wires or fiber optic tubing, arranged or placed together closely, such as on a support material, to provide substantially an illuminated strip. Figure 2A is a piece-by-piece view of another embodiment of a panel assembly where fiber optic wires having end light emitting portions are used. In Figure 2A, fiber optic cables or wires are used directly instead of in the form of fiber optic strips. The fiber optic cables or wires are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,689. In Figure 2A, the graphic board 105 is stratified or placed as a layer on the front-of the panel 131. Wherever it is laminated on the front, the panel 131 is optionally translucent or opaque. Optionally, the panel 131 is translucent and the graphic panel 105 is laminated or placed as a layer on the back of the panel 131. The fiber optic wires 134 protrude from the fiber optic bundle 137. The individual fiber optic cables 134 are placed in channels (139 in Figure 2C) drilled in or through the panel 131 and the graphic board 105. Where the graphic board is on the front of the panel 131 or on the rear of the panel 131 but the fiber optic wires 134 protrude through panel 131 and the graphic board 105, a translucent protection panel 110 is provided. Individual letters such as the letter "1" 130 or the letter "F" 133 optionally comprise at least a portion of the graphic board 105. The Figure 2B is an enlarged view of the portion 133 of the letter "F" of Figure 2A. Optionally, letters such as "1" 130 or full graphic board 105 is coated with a resin containing micron sized glass beads dispersed therein. Such "microbeads" are useful for scattering the light emitted by the light emitting ends (138 in Figure 2C) for wide-angle observation. Such microbead coatings are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5, 231,689. The individual fiber optic wires 134 are placed in channels (139 in Figure 2C) in the graphics board 105 and the panel 131. The wires 134 are placed in any position to illuminate, for example, the letter "F". The threads 134 may be placed on the periphery of the letter "F" or spread throughout the entire area of the letter "F" if the letter is a print of a letter or other writing of signs having some thickness. Figure 2C is a side view of the Figure 2B. As shown, the individual fiber optic wires 134 protrude through the channels 139 in the graphics board 105 to form the graphic portion 133. The light emitted from the light emitting end portions 138 of the fiber optic wires 134 , illuminate graphic portion 133. Fiber optic threads are commercially available from Prism Fiber Optics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA When used in a gasoline distribution pump, the use of light sources is typically governed by the safety regulation of Specification U.L. No. 913 (or the corresponding regulations, if any). Very significantly, this U.L. it is either metaphorical or inapplicable for the present invention, since the fiber optic wires used do not carry current to the lower cavity of the gas pump assembly. Therefore, they have no risk of being a source for igniting gasoline vapors if they are present in the lower cavity of the pump assembly. Other regulations or matters of interest for safety, however, may be applicable. For example, to prevent the accumulation of gasoline vapors in the event of a gas leak in the cavity "Lower of the gas pump assembly, the entrance of such vapors to the fiber optic bundle (137 of Figure 2A) is prevented by the use of an air gap or a suitable sealing compound. The beam liner is also optionally vented to prevent any such accumulations of gasoline vapors. The dimensions of the fiber optic strips vary depending on your application. The panel assembly operates by illuminating the free end of the optical fiber strip 115 by a light source (not shown). The light source is typically an incandescent, halogen, or fluorescent lamp, or a laser light emitting diode. -The lamp is provided with energy by a conventional energy source (not shown). The strip is optionally laminated on the back of the graphic 105, to impart illumination to at least a portion of the graphic 105 and the translucent panel 110. The illuminated optical fiber strip 115 causes the light to pass through the graphic 105 and the translucent panel 110. In Figure 1, graph 105 forms letters of the alphabet ("Shell Formula") and horizontal lines 125. Light passes from strip 115 and through graph 105 and panel 110, thereby illuminating the letters and the lines of the graph. Optionally, a protective container 135 is placed by conventional means below the optical fiber strip 115 which serves to securely store the optical fiber strands 134 or the optical fiber strip 115 of the powder and / or moisture or other contaminants present in the cavity 330 (see Figure 3B). The protective container 135 is made of any suitable conventional material as a protective layer against dust, such as metal, vinyl or other plastic material. The protective container 135 is optionally fixedly attached to the lower door portions 310 (see Figure 3A-B). The protective container 135 may have a variable depth sufficient to accommodate the strip or tube or fiber optic cable. For example, the depth of the protective container 135 is optimally from 0.635 cm to 7.62 cm.

B. Panel Mounting Fixed to a Gasoline Distributor Pump 1. Fixed to the Bottom Door In Figures 3A and 3B, a panel assembly is fixed to a lower door of a gasoline distribution pump. In Figure 3A, the fuel pump 300 houses a lower door 310. The panel assembly 320 is fixed to the lower door 310 by conventional means. The panel assembly 320 is optionally recessed from, or substantially flush with, the external surface of the lower door 310. When recessed, the amount of the recess is limited to the space available below the lower door 310 since the pump apparatus occupies the majority of the cavity 330 (Figure 3B) below the lower door 310. Typically, as indicated in Figure 3B , the pump 300 will have two lower doors 310 mounted on opposite sides. As a result, the panel assembly 320 is optionally removably mounted on one or both sides of the gasoline distribution pump 300. The sides of a lower portion of the lower doors 310 of the gasoline distribution pump, and of other side portions , define the • sides of the cavity 330. The panel assembly is removably mounted on a lower portion of the gasoline distribution pump 300, that is, the lower door 310. Accordingly, a rear portion of the panel assembly 320 defines one side of the cavity 330. The panel assembly is maintained for access either front or rear. Where a metallic protective container 135 is used (see Figures 1 or 2), the rear access is possible where it is removably fixed to the lower door 310. The front access is possible where the translucent panel 110 is removably mounted. . The dimensions of the panel are adjusted when necessary to adjust the particular fuel pump. When used in the fuel pump 300, the dimensions of the panel assembly are as follows (Referring to Figure 2A): (1) The translucent panel 110 is from 12.70 to 50.80 cm in height, from 50.80 cm to 182.88 cm in length, and from 2.54 cm to 15.24 cm in thickness, including the protective container 135. It is preferable to maximize the depth of the protective container 135 to prevent bending or bending of the optical fiber strands in any amount greater than necessary. The depth of the protective container 135 is limited by the assembly of the particular gasoline pump in which the panel assembly is installed. The height and the length of the graphic 105 and the protective container 135 correspond to the height and length of the translucent panel 110. Where the optical fiber strip 115 is a mat, it typically has the dimensions from 2.54 cm to 25.40 cm height and from 12.70 cm to 91.44 cm in length. 2. Fixed to the Lateral Portion or to the Upper Portion Figures 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 7A, and 7B show the modalities of the graphic board fixed to the lateral and upper portions of the distributor. Where the explosive gases could be present in the portion of the pump assembly where the graphic board is fixed, the light receiving ends of the fiber optic wires are located away from the graphic board and away from the mounting portion of the the pump on which the graphic board is fixed. Where the explosive gases may not be present, the light receiving end portions of the optical fiber strands are optionally housed together with the graphics board and the light emitting end portions of the fiber optic strands. to. Figures 4A and 4B Figures 4A and 4B show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly 510, fixed to a front lower door 540, another graphic panel assembly 498 fixed to a front portion of the gasoline distributor, and another assembly of 485 graphic board set in, or instead of, one of two front access panels 480 of the gasoline distributor. Optionally, both front access panels 480 are fixed to or replaced by graphic boards 485. Two graphic boards 510 are optionally fixed to the lower doors 540 both on the front and rear of the gas pump dispensing assembly. The light receiving ends (not shown) of the optical fiber wires 545 for the graphic boards 510 and the graphic board 485 are located remote in the control box 530. b. Figures 5A and 5B: Figures 5A and 5B show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly 510 fixed to the lower front door 540 and another graphic board assembly 520 fixed to an upper portion 515 of an upper hollow portion of the gasoline dispenser . Two graphic boards 510 are optionally fixed to the lower doors 540 on both the front and rear part of the gas pump dispensing assembly. The light receiving ends (not shown) of the fiber optic wires 545 are located remote in the control box 530 as shown in Figure 5B. c. Figures 6A and 6B Figures 6a and 6b show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly 510 fixed to the lower front door 540 and another graphic board assembly 620 fixed in the center of an upper hollow portion 610 of the gasoline distributor, wherein the graphic board fixed to the lower door has light receiving ends of the fiber optic wires 545 located remotely in a control box 530 as shown in Figure 6B. Except for the graphic board 620 located in the gap 610, the elements are numbered identically as in Figures 5A and 5B. The graphic board 620 is optionally self-contained, that is to say, the receiving ends of the light of the fiber optic wires are not located in a remote form but are housed next to the graphic board. Optionally, the graphic board 620 is of two sides, that is to say, it has a frontal graphic board and a rear one, with each one that has the same copy of information or warning, or a different one. d. Figures 7A and 7B: Figures 7A and 7B show a front and side view, respectively, of a graphic board assembly 510 fixed to a lower front door 540 and another graphic board assembly 790 fixed to a side portion of the gasoline dispenser, wherein both graphic boards they have light receiving ends of the fiber optic wires 545 located remotely in a control box 530 shown in Figure 7A. Optionally, the side graphic board assembly 790 is configured to appear as a standard side panel, except when illuminated. The information and / or warning copy graphics are not visible unless the fiber optic wires are illuminated.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (9)

1. A panel assembly for gasoline distribution pump, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a graphic board having a graphic image thereon to show an instructional or warning copy, illuminated, the graphic board adapted to be mounted removably on a portion of the assembly for the gasoline distribution pump; (b) a plurality of optical fiber strands having end receiving portions of the light and end or side portions that emit light, fixedly attached to the graphic board adapted to illuminate at least a portion of the graphic image on the graphic board; and (c) a translucent protective panel to protect the graphic board and the light emitting ends of the optical fiber strands, the translucent protective panel is stratified or placed as a layer, removably, on the graphic board.

2. The panel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the graphic board is mounted in an area of the distributor subjected to explosive vapors and wherein the portions receiving light from the optical fiber wires are located in a remote form from the board graphic.

3. The panel assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the graphic board has a plurality of channels for receiving the light emitting end portions of the optical fiber wires.

4. The panel assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the end emitting portions of the light are placed inside the channels.

5. The panel assembly according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the end portions or the emitting side of the light are coated with microbeads containing resin to facilitate the scattering of the light at an extended angle.

6. The panel assembly according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that at least a portion of the graphic image is formed to the latter, which is illuminated by the optical fiber strands.

7. The panel assembly according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that the panel assembly is removably mounted on a side portion of the gasoline dispenser.

8. The panel assembly according to any of claims 1-7, characterized in that the assembly of the gas distribution pump comprises a removably mounted access door.

9. The panel assembly according to any of claims 1-8, characterized in that the gasoline dispenser comprises a hollow area in the upper portion thereof for displaying advertisements or warnings, and wherein the panel assembly is removably mounted in a portion. of the hole or vacuum.