US3631474A

US3631474A - Display device with removable membranes

Info

Publication number: US3631474A
Application number: US834071A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eugene J Majewski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-06-17
Filing date: 1969-06-17
Publication date: 1971-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-28

Abstract

In this specification, the gist of the technical disclosure resides in a thin-wall, light message-transmitting element which can be masked, peeled, cut, punched or molded in selected patterns and placed over a glass or plastic reflector, or over a glass or plastic lens, or over a translucent or light-diffusing element to convey a message from a light reflector or a backlighted device. The element is constructed of a piece of opaque material or light-transmitting or filtering material, such as thin-wall acrylic, styrene, butyrate, polycarbonate or other type of material having the properties of light blockage, transmission or filtering. The element is constructed in such a way as to include preformed designations of outlines such as squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, circles and the like which a user may mask, peel, cut or punch in selected sequences to form symbols such as an arrow, numerals such as house numbers, and letters to form words such as ''''Caution,'''' ''''Stop,'''' ''''Slow, '''' a person''s name or initials, and the like. Such a light message-transmitting element is constructed with tabs or other fastening devices corresponding with receiving inserts on the glass or plastic reflector, lens or translucent or diffusing light element, for attachment and detachment for the purpose of readily detaching the light message-transmitting element to perforate the marked portions in whatever selected sequence desired to form the indication or message desired to convey upon light being either reflected from the front or transmitted from behind, depending on whether used with a reflecting element, a lens, or translucent or light-diffusing element being backlighted. There are obviously many other ways in which the element can be attached and detached to the light reflector or backlighted device, such as adhesives, heat-sealing, solvents, sonic welding and the like. Once the desired indication or message has been made on the element by masking, peeling, cutting or punching the selected marked portions, the element is then placed by whatever attachment means selected over the reflecting element, lens or translucent or light-diffusing element, to form either a reflective device or backlighted device having a directive sign or message. It is also possible to make the message-transmitting element a permanently assembled part of the reflector or backlighted device by solvent cementing or sonic welding to the faces thereof. The membranes would be punched out in place without removing the element from the reflector or backlighted device.

Description

United States Patent Eugene J. Majewski [72] Inventor 121 North Elmore Ave., Park Ridge, 111.

60068 [21] Appl. No. 834,071 [22] Filed June 17, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [54] DISPLAY DEVICE WITH REMOVABLE Primary Examiner-Robert L. Richardson Attorney-Ernest S. Kettelson ABSTRACT: In this specification, the gist of the technical disclosure resides in a thin-wall, light message-transmitting element which can be masked, peeled, cut, punched or molded in selected patterns and placed over a glass or plastic reflector, or over a glass or plastic lens, or over a translucent or light-diffusing element to convey a message from a light reflector or a backlighted device. The element is constructed of a piece of opaque material or light-transmitting or filtering material, such as thin-wall acrylic, styrene, butyrate, polycarbonate or other type of material having the properties of light blockage, transmission or filtering. The element is constructed in such a way as to include preformed designations of outlines such as squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, circles and the like which a user may ,mask, peel, cut or punch in selected sequences to form symbols such as an arrow, numerals such as house numbers, and letters to form words such as Caution, Stop, Slow, a persons name or initials, and the like. Such a light message-transmitting element is constructed with tabs or other fastening devices corresponding with receiving inserts on the glass or plastic reflector, lens or translucent or diffusing light element, for attachment and detachment for the purpose of readily detaching the light message-transmitting element to perforate the marked portions in whatever selected sequence desired to form the indication or message desired to convey upon light being either reflected from the front or transmitted from behind, depending on whether used with a reflecting element, a lens, or translucent or light-diffusing element being backlighted.

There are obviously many other ways in which the element can be attached and detached to the light reflector or backlighted device, such as adhesives, heat-sealing, solvents, sonic welding and the like. Once the desired indication or message has been made on the element by masking, peeling, cutting or punching the selected marked portions, the element is then placed by whatever attachment means selected over the reflecting element, lens or translucent or light-diffusing element, to form either a reflective device or backlighted device having a directive sign or message.

It is also possible to make the message-transmitting element a permanently assembled part of the reflector or backlighted device by solvent cementing or sonic welding to the faces thereof. The membranes would be punched out in place without removing the element from the reflector or backlighted device.

" P IZ Patented Dec. 28, 1971 3,631,474

2 Sheets-Sheet l m 3 G .-4 DEIEIEIEIEIEIgEIE] EIDEIEIDDEI [JG o EIEI EIEIEIEIEIEI EIEIEIEI (0 D Em EIEI El El :ll l Fl 4 EIEIEJTIH IIIIIIE]EIEIIIIE FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. EUGENE J. MAJEWSKI BY SLMJW ATT'Y.

Patented Dec. 28, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EUGENE J. MAJEWSKI BY 5M4. m

AT T' Y.

DISPLAY DEVICE WITH REMOVABLE MEMBRANES This invention relates to a new and useful light messagetransmitting element for use either with light reflectors or for backlighted fixtures comprising relatively thin-wall material having preformed designations or markings thereon for masking, peeling, cutting or punching to make any desired sign or message to be placed over the light reflector or backlighted device.

It is an object of this invention toprovide a light messagetransmitting element of thin-wall construction with preformed designations or markings thereon for a purchaser to mask, peel, cut or punch any desired sign or message, said element confonning to the configuration of a particular light reflector or backlighted fixture and having attachment means such as tabs in the filter grid element and corresponding receiving slots in the reflector or backlighted fixture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a light message-transmitting element of thin-wall construction for affixing to a light reflective or backlighted fixture in which the light message-transmitting elements can be punched in a stacked series on the worktable or a press by an appropriate die set in a machine press to perforate in said light filter grid elements whatever design, sign or message desired, for multiple assembly of said light filter grid elements to appropriate light reflective or backlighted fixtures by a manufacturer or distributor on a mass-production basis.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a light message-transmitting element of thin-wall construction for affixing to a light-reflective or backlighted fixture in which the peripheral configuration of the message-transmitting element corresponds with that of the face of the reflective or backlighted fixture, with the light message-transmitting element unperforated but with markings thereon for ready perforation by a seller of any desired design, sign or message requested by a purchaser, said light message-transmitting element having means for ready detachment and attachment to said reflective or backlighted fixture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a light message-transmitting element of thin-wall construction, having spaced-apart ribs which are relatively thicker (for example 0.060 inches in thickness) and filled-in portions or membranes between said ribs which are relatively thinner (for example, 0.010 inches in thickness or even 0.005 inches in thickness, depending in part on the materials used and methods of manufacture), so any number of the filled-in portions or membranes between the spaced-apart ribs may be readily cut or punches out in whatever pattern desired without breaking or damaging the adjacent ribs.

Other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a light message-transmitting element according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a reflector having a reflecting face over which the light message-transmitting element in FIG. 1 may be placed. v

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a backlighted device having a transparent face over which a light message-transmitting element according to this invention may be placed, with a broken line indicating the upper slot into which a tab of the light message-transmitting element may be placed.

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a punching device to punch out selected membranes of the light message-transmitting element.

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken on line 55 of FIG. 1, showing the punching device in FIG. 6 in place for punching out a membrane and showing one of the membranes having already been punches out, also showing the light message-transmitting element laid on a flat surface.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a series of light message-transmitting elements according to this invention joined together.

The light message-transmitting element generally designated by the numeral 1 in FIG. 1 has a peripheral portion 2 defining a peripheral configuration corresponding to that of the face of a light reflector 3 in FIG. 2 or the light face 4 of a backlighted fixture 5 in FIG. Swith which the light messagetransmitting element is to be used. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the light message-transmitting element 1 includes tabs 6, and the reflector 3 as well as the backlighted fixture 5 have corresponding receptive slots 7 into which the tabs 6 can be inserted for attachment of the light message-transmitting element to the reflector 3 or backlighted fixture 4 and when desired for detachment therefrom. It will be obvious that many other known methods of attaching and detaching the light message-transmitting element can also be used such as adhesives, heat-sealing, solvents, sonic welding, screws and the like.

The light message-transmitting element 1 includes a body portion 8 which may be constructed of an opaque material through which no light may pass or be reflected, or of a lightfiltering material through which some light may pass. An example of a suitable opaque material would be common masking tape in which case the adhesive backing could be used for attachment and detachment to the light reflector or backlighted device. Another example of a suitable opaque 7 material would be a solid black piece of plastic material, and

other materials such as cardboard could even be used. Examples of suitable light-filtering material through which some light may pass are thin-wall acrylic, styrene, butyrate or polycarbonate having an appropriate coloring or shading to filter and prevent at least some passage of light, although many other light-filtering materials may be used including colored or shaded glass.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in Flg. 1, the body portion 8 has preformed designations or markings 9 defining small geometric designs 10. The markings 9 as shown in FIG. 1 consist of ribs 11 spaced-apart and extending vertically in parallel lines and ribs 12 spaced-apart extending horizontally in parallel lines intersecting the vertical ribs 11 at right angles to fonn right angular sections 13 therebetween. Obviously the intersecting ribs could be arranged to intersect at different angles to form any desired geometric sections therebetween, and the ribs could even be arcuate or circular in design bounding sections therebetween which would then be elliptical, ovular or circular.

The ribs 11 and 12 are relatively thicker than the sections 13 bounded by said ribs. It has been found, for example, that a desirable thickness of the ribs may be 0.060 inches and a desirable thickness of the sections 13 may be 0.010 inches, or even as thin as 0.005 inches depending on the material used and method of manufacture. The sections 13 are thus formed thinly enough in the embodiment shown in FIG. I to constitute membranes 14. These membranes 14 covering the sections 13 between the intersecting ribs 1] and 12 are preferably spaced equidistantly from the anterior and posterior edges of their respective bordering ribs 11 and 12. FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line 44 of a portion of FIG. 1 with the anterior edges of horizontal rib 12 designated as 15 and the posterior edges of said rib designated as 16, with the membranes 14 shown equidistantly between FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of a portion of FIG. 1 with the anterior edge of vertical rib 11 designated as 17 and the posterior of said rib designated as 18, with the membranes l4 similarly shown equidistantly between. It is not essential, however, that the membranes 14 be spaced equidistantly between the anterior and posterior of the adjacent ribs, but this is a preferred embodiment. The membranes may also be molded with a slight spherical curvature rather than flat.

This particular construction of the membranes 14 with respect to the bounding and intersecting vertical ribs 11 and horizontal ribs 12 leaves a slight space 19 at the top for insertion and accurate placing or centering of a cutting or punching tool 20 shown in FIG. 6, so the punching or cutting edges 21 of tool 20 rest immediately adjacent ribs 11 and 12 of the particular membrane 14 it is desired to cut or punch out and help to hold the tool 20 accurately in place. The punching or cutting edges 21 are preferably of equal configuration and dimension as the membrane 14. Similarly this particular construction of membranes 14 leaves on the opposite side of the light message-transmitting element, when laid on a flat surface 23 as shown in FIG. 7, a slight space 22 between the membrane and the flat surface 23, so when downward pressure is applied on the cutting or punching tool 20 against the thin membrane 14, there is room for downward movement to break the membrane 14 away from its bounding ribs 11 and 12.

In operation, the light message-transmitting element 1 is removed from the face 3 of a reflector or the face 4 of a backlighted fixture 5. A person then selects the membranes 14 he desires to remove from the light message-transmitting element 1 to form whatever message he wishes to form therein, such as an arrow, a word such as Stop or "Caution", a house number, or the like. The light message-transmitting elements 1 may, of course, be of any size, including miniature, such as to form instructions on the face of a pushbutton switch, instrument panel labelling, etc., or of any shape, and several of such light-transmitting elements 1 may be placed adjacent one to the other as shown in FIG. 8 to create a reflective or backlighted message-transmitting fixture of any size, shape and dimension desired, including the marquee of a theater. The spaces between the vertical ribs 11 and horizontal ribs 12 may likewise be of any desired dimension, as large or as small as desired.

Once the membranes 14 have been selected to form the message desired by removal thereof, the light-transmitting element is preferably laid on a flat surface 23 as shown in FIG. 7, the cutting or punching tool 20 is centered between the ribs 1 l and 12 bounding one of the membranes selected for removal, downward pressure is applied on the tool 20, and the membrane 14 is forced downward into the space 22 breaking it cleanly away from the bounding ribs 11 and 12. The same operation is performed with respect to the other membranes 14 selected for removal. When all those selected for removal have been removed, the desired message will thus have been formed in the light message-transmitting element which is then reattached to the reflector face 3 or light face 4 of the backlighted fixture 5.

As explained above, the detachment and attachment of the element 1 to the reflector 3 or light face 4 of a backlighted fixture can be of a variety of types. The one illustrated shows tabs 6 on the element 1 for insertion in corresponding slots 7 of the reflector or backlighted element. FIG. 8 illustrates several of the elements 1 arranged adjacently to make up a light message-transmitting fxture consisting of a multiple number of elements 1. Obviously the light message-transmitting elements 1 according to this invention could be molded or otherwise formed into larger sizes, or in sheet form, and with any desired peripheral configuration such as circular, ovular, rectangular, triangular and the like.

The elements 1 shown joined together in FIG. 8 are bonded, glued or cemented along the peripheral portion 2 of each adjacent element 1. If the elements 1 are constructed of cardboard or a suitable paper stock, glue may be used to join the elements. However, it is expected that various plastic materials will be more commonly used to make the elements I, and bonding solvents which may be used for several types of plastic materials to bond the elements 1 together along their adjacent peripheral edges 2 are given in the following examples as follows:

For an element 1 constructed of styrene, suitable solvents for bonding such material are toluene and xylene.

For an element 1 constructed of acrylic, a suitable solvent for bonding such material is methyl ethyl ketone.

For an element 1 constructed of polycarbonate, a suitable solvent for bonding such material is methylene chloride.

These are given by way of example, only, and do not limit the types of materials of which the elements 1 may be constructed or the solvents, glue, cement or bonding agent that may be used to join the elements I together along adjacent peripheral edges 2.

The light message-transmitting elements 1 according to this invention may also be permanently bonded or otherwise fastened to a reflector face 3 or face 4 of a backlighted device 5,

such faces

3 or 4 thus constituting the flat surface 23. The membranes 14 may be punched out in the same manner as described and shown with respect to FIG. 7, with the punchedout membrane 14 falling into the space 22 between said membrane and the reflector faces 3 (in the case of a reflector) or 4 (in the case of a backlighted device). The punched-out membrane can then be removed by tipping over the reflector or backlighted device so the punched-out membrane falls away by gravity, or if necessary, a small amount of adhesive could be placed on the bottom portion 21 of the cutting tool 20, then pressed against the punched-out membrane 14 so it sticks to the bottom of the tool 20 and the punched-out membrane withdrawn in that manner. The punched-out membrane 14 may also be crushed, cracked or splintered to be withdrawn in pieces and fragments from the section 13 from which it was punched.

Any selected message may be punched in the light messagetransmitting element 1 by selection of appropriate membranes 14 to be punched out or otherwise removed. The elements 1 may be of any size, shape or form, and the membranes 14 may likewise be of any size, shape or form. The elements 1 with punched-out membranes 14 to convey a message upon light reflection when placed over the face of a reflector, or light transmission when placed over the face of a backlighted device, can be used with such items as driveway markers, house number signs, highway marking, directing and warning devices, marquees of theaters, and for numerous other uses where reflectors or backlighted devices are used to convey a message.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim is:

l. A light-transmitting element (as set forth in Claim 5,) comprising a body of light blockage material, said body being cuttable to form a message therein, means to secure said body to a light-transmitting face, wherein said body includes intersecting spaced-apart ribs, a membrane between each of said ribs, said membranes being removable in desired patterns to form a message in said body, wherein said membranes are formed as part of and located between the anterior and posterior edges of said ribs bordering each of said membranes, an anterior space between each of said membranes and the anterior edge of said ribs bordering each of said membranes, and a posterior space between each of said membranes and the posterior edge of said ribs bordering each of said membranes, said membranes being removable by pushing thereagainst from one side toward the other until the relatively thinner membrane breaks away from the relatively thicker bordering ribs.

2. A light message-transmitting element as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is of plastic material capable of blocking transmission of light, wherein said ribs are on the order of 0.060 inches in thickness and said membranes are in a range between 0.010 inches and 0.005 inches in thickness.

3. A light message-transmitting element as set forth in claim 1, wherein aid element is secured to a light-transmitting face, said posterior space being located between said face and said membrane, said anterior space facing outward on the opposite side of said membrane, said anterior space providing room for said ribs bordering said membrane to form edges to accurately center a cutting tool with cutting edges corresponding to the dimensions and configuration of said membrane, said posterior space providing room between said membrane and said light-transmitting face to permit pressure on the cutting tool from the anterior side to break said membrane away from said bordering ribs as pressure is applied from the anterior side towards the posterior side and into said posterior space between said membrane and said light-transmitting face.

4. A light message-transmitting element according to claim 3 wherein said light-transmitting face is a reflector.

LII

light, permitting some light to pass through the unremoved membranes but relatively greater amounts of light to pass through the removed membranes will be clearly visible upon light passing from the said light-transmitting face.

8. A light message-transmitting element ac rding to claim 3, including the light-transmitting face to which it is secured.

@333 UNITED S'SATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 I 63ll474 Dated mber 28, 1971 Inventor(s) Eugene J. Majegski It is certified. that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 47, change -"punches to punched--; line 71, change "punches" to -punch'ed- Column 2, line 6. after "between" insert a period; Column 4, line 37, delete "(as set forth in Claim 5,)"; line 60, change "aid" to -said-- Signed and sealed this 18th day of June 197LL.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARDMELETCHERJR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer" Commissioner? of Patents

Claims

1. A light-transmitting element (as set forth in Claim 5,) comprising a body of light blockage material, said body being cuttable to form a message therein, means to secure said body to a light-transmitting face, wherein said body includes intersecting spaced-apart ribs, a membrane between each of said ribs, said membranes being removable in desired patterns to form a message in said body, wherein said membranes are formed as part of and located between the anterior and posterior edges of said ribs bordering each of said membranes, an anterior space between each of said membranes and the anterior edge of said ribs bordering each of said membranes, and a posterior space between each of said membranes and the posterior edge of said ribs bordering each of said membranes, said membranes being removable by pushing thereagainst from one side toward the other until the relatively thinner membrane breaks away from the relatively thicker bordering ribs.

2. A light message-transmitting element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body is of plastic material capable of blocking transmission of light, wherein said ribs are on the order of 0.060 inches in thickness and said membranes are in a range between 0.010 inches and 0.005 inches in thickness.

3. A light message-transmitting element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said element is secured to a light-transmitting face, said posterior space being located between said face and said membrane, said anterior space facing outward on the opposite side of said membrane, said anterior space providing room for said ribs bordering said membrane to form edges to accurately center a cutting tool with cutting edges corresponding to the dimensions and configuration of said membrane, said posterior space providing room between said membrane and said light-transmitting face to permit pressure on the cutting tool from the anterior side to break said membrane away from said bordering ribs as pressure is applied from the anterior side towards the posterior side and into said posterior space between said membrane and said light-transmitting face.

5. A light message-transmitting element according to claim 3 wherein said light-transmitting face is backlighted.

6. A light message-transmitting element accorDing to claim 3, including a cutting tool, said cutting tool having cutting edges thereon corresponding to the dimensions and configuration of said membranes.

7. A light message-transmitting element according to claim 3, wherein said body is of plastic material capable of filtering light, permitting some light to pass through the unremoved membranes but relatively greater amounts of light to pass through the removed membranes so the message formed by said removed membranes will be clearly visible upon light passing from the said light-transmitting face.

8. A light message-transmitting element according to claim 3, including the light-transmitting face to which it is secured.