US3786499A - Alpha-numeric display package - Google Patents

Alpha-numeric display package Download PDF

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Publication number
US3786499A
US3786499A US00307280A US3786499DA US3786499A US 3786499 A US3786499 A US 3786499A US 00307280 A US00307280 A US 00307280A US 3786499D A US3786499D A US 3786499DA US 3786499 A US3786499 A US 3786499A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
light
package
block
further characterized
segments
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00307280A
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English (en)
Inventor
E Funk
A Jankowski
J Moll
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fairchild Semiconductor Corp
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Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corp
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Publication date
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Publication of US3786499A publication Critical patent/US3786499A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B33/00—Electroluminescent light sources
    • H05B33/12—Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B33/00—Electroluminescent light sources
    • H05B33/02—Details
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10H—INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS
    • H10H20/00—Individual inorganic light-emitting semiconductor devices having potential barriers, e.g. light-emitting diodes [LED]
    • H10H20/80—Constructional details

Definitions

  • ALPHA-NUMERIC DISPLAY PACKAGE Inventors: Alfred S. Jankowski, San Jose; John L. Moll, Stanford; Ernest J. Funk, Cupertino, all of Calif.
  • MacPherson 57 ABSTRACT A package for displaying alpha-numeric characters using a plurality of discrete, light-emitting diodes, each diode providing a point source of light corresponding to one of the segments of the characters when electrically activated, including a substrate having the light-emitting diodes mounted upon it; a block of material adjacent the substrate containing a plurality of light pipes in the shape of the segments; and a composite flys eye lens on top of the light pipes for displaying the selected character by the selective activation of the light-emitting diodes.
  • This invention is in the field of packages for solid state displays. More specifically, the packages of this invention are the form of hybrid circuits having a plurality of light-emitting diodes mounted on a base, along with a self-contained packaging system to display the emitted light in the form'of an alpha-numeric character.
  • PRIOR ART Packages used for displaying alpha-numeric characters from a plurality of light-emitting diodes mounted on a substrate are known in the art. These packages generally employ a plurality of translucent, plastic plugs in the shape desired for each segment of the alpha-numeric character. The light from an activated diode is passed through the plastic segment, lighting up the translucent material of the plastic and creating the luminescent display of that digit segment. Because of the translucent character of the plastic, no lensing system is required. The combination of all the lighted segments makes up the desired character.
  • the primary difficulty with these prior art packages is the inefficiency of the transmission of the tiny amount of light from each light-emitting diode through the translucent plastic. Accordingly, a more efficient system had to be developed. I
  • This invention is a package for selectively displaying one of a plurality of alpha-numeric characters using a plurality of discrete, light-emitting diodes, each diode providing a point source o'f light corresponding to a segment of the characters when electrically activated.
  • the invention includes a substrate having arranged laterally thereupon a plurality of light-emitting diodes in the general shape of the necessary segments of all the alpha-numeric characters to be displayed; a single block of material adjacent to the substrate having two opposed parallel faces, the first face lying adjacent to the substrate; a plurality of light pipes in the shape of the character segmentsextending completely through the block from the first face-to the opposite one, a different one of the light pipes being aligned with a corresponding one of the diodes, the walls of each light pipe being reflective, whereby the light emitted from each electrically activated diode is passed through its corresponding light pipe; and a composite lens covering the second opposite face of the block, the lens comprising a plurality of flys eye lenses in close proximity with each other, the composite lens at least covering the ends of all the light pipes where they extend to the second opposite face, whereby the light from each electrically activated light-emitting diode is passed through its corresponding light pipe and then through the composite lens, thereby optically
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of the substrate of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a top view of the block which contains the light pipes of the invention
  • FIG. 3 is an end, interior view (with the end of the package removed) of the package of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the lines 44 of FIG. 2.
  • each of the light-emitting diodes ll, l2, l3, l4, l5, l6 and 17 are mounted with their light-emitting side up on a conductive metal plate 18. These diodes are arranged laterally upon the substrate in the general shape of the necessary segments of all the alpha-numeric characters to be displayed. In the selected embodiment of the invention, diodes ll, l2, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are arranged to correspond with the segments of a figure eight (as shown in FIG. 2).
  • Diode I3 is used to display the decimal point. This segment arrangement is, conventional in the art, and needs no further explanation here.
  • the first electrical connection to each diode is a common connection which results from the soldering of each diode to the common metal plate 18 on substrate 10, as shown in FIG. I.
  • the other electrical connection is a separate connection for each diode (for selective electrical activation) in the form of a wire 19 from the top surface of each diode to a conductive post 20.
  • Posts 20 extend, as shown in FIG. 3, out from the bottom of the package for plug-in electrical connection to a conventional printed circuit board.
  • the surface of the metal plate 18 is covered, surrounding the diodes, with an opaque, insulating layer, such as black paper, to prevent shorting of wires 19 against the metal. The opaqueness prevents unwanted light reflections.
  • Block 21 preferably made of plastic, has a first lower face 22 which is located adjacent to the top surface of substrate light pipes 24 in the shape of the desired character segments. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, these segments extend completely through block 21 from the first face 22 to the opposite face 23.
  • a different one of the light pipes 24 is aligned with each of the light-emitting diodes 11-17 shown in FIG. 1.
  • the interior walls of each light pipe 24 are reflective. This reflectivity is preferably achieved by coating the interior walls of each light pipe with a reflective material, preferably a reflective metal such as gold. Although gold is expensive, it is one of the most highly reflective metals available.
  • each electrically activated diode is efficiently passed through its corresponding light pipe 24 and displayed as a lighted segment on surface 23 of block 21.
  • a composite lens cap 25 is employed covering the second face 23 of block 21.
  • This lens cap comprises a plurality of flys eye lenses 26 in close proximity with each other. The effect of the lens cap is to spread out the displayed light so that the segments are entirely illuminated.
  • the composite lens 25 at least covers the ends of light pipes 24 where they extend to the second face 23 as shown in FIG. 2. In other words, lens cap 25 must contain a sufficient area of flys eye lenses 24 to at least cover the entire figure eight and the decimal point 27 shown in FIG. 2.
  • the flys eye lenses 26 are directly molded into cap 25 which is made of translucent plastic.
  • the plastic material can be white, red, clear, frosted, or any color desired in the application of the display.
  • Lens cap 25 fits tightly over the sides of substrate as shown in FIG. 3, to form a complete enclosure.
  • each electrically activated lightemitting diode 11-17 shown in FIG. I is passed through its corresponding light pipe 24, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and then through the composite lens 25, shown in FIG. 3, thereby optically displaying on the lens cap 25 all the segments of the alpha-numeric character selected by the electrical activation of one or a plurality of light-emitting diodes.
  • all of the lightemitting diodes ll-l7 are electrically activated, all of the segments 24 shown in FIG. 2 and the decimal point 27 will be lighted, displaying the figure eight followed by a decimal point. If all the diodes except diodes 11 and 12, corresponding to the two lower left ones of segments 24 in FIG.
  • the invention is applicable to the display of characters denoting letters of the alphabet, numbers, Chinese or Japanese characters, or any other lateral configuration, of segments 24 (and corresponding lateral arrangement of the light-emitting diodes on the substrate 10), using the proper selective activation of the diodes to activate the designated character for display. These techniques are well known in the art.
  • a package for selectively displaying one of a plurality of alpha-numeric characters using a plurality of discrete, light-emitting diodes, each diode providing a 5 point source of light corresponding to a segment of said characters when electrically activated, comprising:
  • a substrate having arranged laterally thereupon a plurality of light-emitting diodes in the general shape of the necessary segments of all the alpha-numeric 0 characters to be displayed;
  • the package of claim 2 further characterized by the walls of said light pipes being covered with a reflective metal.
  • the package of claim 1 further characterized by the surface of said substrate adjacent said block having a non-reflective, insulating layer surrounding said light emitting diodes.
  • the package of claim 3 further characterized by said non-reflective coating being an insulating material.
  • the package of claim 1 further characterized by the segments of said characters being arranged in the shape of a composite digit.

Landscapes

  • Led Device Packages (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
  • Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)
  • Indication In Cameras, And Counting Of Exposures (AREA)
US00307280A 1972-11-16 1972-11-16 Alpha-numeric display package Expired - Lifetime US3786499A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US30728072A 1972-11-16 1972-11-16

Publications (1)

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US3786499A true US3786499A (en) 1974-01-15

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00307280A Expired - Lifetime US3786499A (en) 1972-11-16 1972-11-16 Alpha-numeric display package

Country Status (10)

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US (1) US3786499A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5418917B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU469330B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA990382A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2350760A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2207618A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1405037A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
HK (1) HK75578A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT996964B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7312772A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3895380A (en) * 1973-03-14 1975-07-15 Tamura Electric Works Ltd Digit display apparatus
US3911430A (en) * 1974-04-17 1975-10-07 Fairchild Camera Instr Co Alpha-numeric display package
US3919585A (en) * 1974-05-24 1975-11-11 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Encapsulation for light emitting element providing high on-off contrast
US3934246A (en) * 1973-11-05 1976-01-20 Chevron Research Company Alphanumeric display means for computer-linked typewriter consoles using light-emitting diodes (LED's) in conjunction with sets of fiber-optic matrix members
US4008950A (en) * 1975-07-07 1977-02-22 Texas Instruments Incorporated Electrochromic display cell structure
US4013915A (en) * 1975-10-23 1977-03-22 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Light emitting device mounting arrangement
US4058750A (en) * 1975-09-20 1977-11-15 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.M.B.H. Light emitting semiconductor indicating structure with light conductors
US4138672A (en) * 1977-03-30 1979-02-06 General Time Corporation Means for connecting a display in a circuit
WO1980000106A1 (en) * 1978-06-19 1980-01-24 Izon Corp Segmented image reconstruction employing distributed optics
DE2929809A1 (de) * 1978-07-25 1980-02-07 Sanyo Electric Co Anzeigeeinrichtung
US4191943A (en) * 1976-10-18 1980-03-04 Fairchild Camera And Instrument Corporation Filler-in-plastic light-scattering cover
US4293847A (en) * 1979-05-29 1981-10-06 Mccarty Daniel A Waterproof signal light
US4390810A (en) * 1979-07-09 1983-06-28 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Semiconductor light-emitting display device
US4733486A (en) * 1985-03-20 1988-03-29 Indel Ab Sign apparatus
US5414293A (en) * 1992-10-14 1995-05-09 International Business Machines Corporation Encapsulated light emitting diodes
US5481440A (en) * 1993-12-27 1996-01-02 At&T Corp. Circuit pack with light pipes
US5633623A (en) * 1995-02-21 1997-05-27 Campman; James P. Personal indicator with light emission multiplying microprism array
US5931570A (en) * 1996-05-20 1999-08-03 Hiyoshi Electric Co., Ltd. Light emitting diode lamp
US5941626A (en) * 1996-05-01 1999-08-24 Hiyoshi Electric Co., Ltd. Long light emitting apparatus
US20020005729A1 (en) * 1988-05-16 2002-01-17 Elm Technology Corporation. Method and system for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits in a closed environment using a single apparatus
US20150264819A1 (en) * 2014-03-11 2015-09-17 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Terminal device

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS49109480U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1973-01-17 1974-09-19
JPS5335428Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1973-03-14 1978-08-30
JPS5016876U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1973-06-11 1975-02-22
JPS5075794A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1973-11-06 1975-06-21
JPS5418189U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1978-06-09 1979-02-06
FR2471014A1 (fr) * 1979-11-28 1981-06-12 Radiotechnique Compelec Dispositif d'affichage a diodes electroluminescentes

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US27003A (en) * 1860-01-31 Ives w
US3252158A (en) * 1963-06-19 1966-05-17 Bowmar Instrument Corp Character display device
US3420949A (en) * 1968-02-21 1969-01-07 Joseph T Mcnaney Light guide message character display apparatus
US3570157A (en) * 1967-10-11 1971-03-16 Bofors Ab Display device for displaying illuminated symbols
US3573814A (en) * 1968-06-07 1971-04-06 Symbolic Displays Inc Lighted display units
US3631478A (en) * 1970-09-23 1971-12-28 Joseph T Mcnaney Light guide support means and display device utilizing same
US3744048A (en) * 1971-09-01 1973-07-03 Ultronic Systems Corp Display apparatus employing fiber optics

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS4718476U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1971-03-31 1972-11-01

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US27003A (en) * 1860-01-31 Ives w
US3252158A (en) * 1963-06-19 1966-05-17 Bowmar Instrument Corp Character display device
US3570157A (en) * 1967-10-11 1971-03-16 Bofors Ab Display device for displaying illuminated symbols
US3420949A (en) * 1968-02-21 1969-01-07 Joseph T Mcnaney Light guide message character display apparatus
US3573814A (en) * 1968-06-07 1971-04-06 Symbolic Displays Inc Lighted display units
US3631478A (en) * 1970-09-23 1971-12-28 Joseph T Mcnaney Light guide support means and display device utilizing same
US3744048A (en) * 1971-09-01 1973-07-03 Ultronic Systems Corp Display apparatus employing fiber optics

Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3895380A (en) * 1973-03-14 1975-07-15 Tamura Electric Works Ltd Digit display apparatus
US3934246A (en) * 1973-11-05 1976-01-20 Chevron Research Company Alphanumeric display means for computer-linked typewriter consoles using light-emitting diodes (LED's) in conjunction with sets of fiber-optic matrix members
US3934247A (en) * 1973-11-05 1976-01-20 Chevron Research Company Alphanumeric display means for computer-linked typewriter consoles using a matrix array of light-emitting diodes (led's)
US3911430A (en) * 1974-04-17 1975-10-07 Fairchild Camera Instr Co Alpha-numeric display package
US3919585A (en) * 1974-05-24 1975-11-11 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Encapsulation for light emitting element providing high on-off contrast
US4008950A (en) * 1975-07-07 1977-02-22 Texas Instruments Incorporated Electrochromic display cell structure
US4058750A (en) * 1975-09-20 1977-11-15 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.M.B.H. Light emitting semiconductor indicating structure with light conductors
US4013915A (en) * 1975-10-23 1977-03-22 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Light emitting device mounting arrangement
US4191943A (en) * 1976-10-18 1980-03-04 Fairchild Camera And Instrument Corporation Filler-in-plastic light-scattering cover
US4138672A (en) * 1977-03-30 1979-02-06 General Time Corporation Means for connecting a display in a circuit
WO1980000106A1 (en) * 1978-06-19 1980-01-24 Izon Corp Segmented image reconstruction employing distributed optics
DE2929809A1 (de) * 1978-07-25 1980-02-07 Sanyo Electric Co Anzeigeeinrichtung
US4293847A (en) * 1979-05-29 1981-10-06 Mccarty Daniel A Waterproof signal light
US4390810A (en) * 1979-07-09 1983-06-28 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Semiconductor light-emitting display device
US4733486A (en) * 1985-03-20 1988-03-29 Indel Ab Sign apparatus
US20030151421A1 (en) * 1988-05-16 2003-08-14 Leedy Glenn J. Method and apparatus for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits in a closed environment using a single apparatus
US6891387B2 (en) 1988-05-16 2005-05-10 Elm Technology Corporation System for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits
US6838896B2 (en) 1988-05-16 2005-01-04 Elm Technology Corporation Method and system for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits in a closed environment using a single apparatus
US20040222809A1 (en) * 1988-05-16 2004-11-11 Glenn Leedy System for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits
US20020005729A1 (en) * 1988-05-16 2002-01-17 Elm Technology Corporation. Method and system for probing, testing, burn-in, repairing and programming of integrated circuits in a closed environment using a single apparatus
US5414293A (en) * 1992-10-14 1995-05-09 International Business Machines Corporation Encapsulated light emitting diodes
US5481440A (en) * 1993-12-27 1996-01-02 At&T Corp. Circuit pack with light pipes
US5633623A (en) * 1995-02-21 1997-05-27 Campman; James P. Personal indicator with light emission multiplying microprism array
US5941626A (en) * 1996-05-01 1999-08-24 Hiyoshi Electric Co., Ltd. Long light emitting apparatus
US5931570A (en) * 1996-05-20 1999-08-03 Hiyoshi Electric Co., Ltd. Light emitting diode lamp
US20150264819A1 (en) * 2014-03-11 2015-09-17 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Terminal device
US9674971B2 (en) * 2014-03-11 2017-06-06 Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. Terminal device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2350760A1 (de) 1974-06-06
JPS5418917B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1979-07-11
JPS4982297A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-08-08
IT996964B (it) 1975-12-10
CA990382A (en) 1976-06-01
AU469330B2 (en) 1976-02-12
NL7312772A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-05-20
HK75578A (en) 1979-01-05
AU5895673A (en) 1975-02-06
GB1405037A (en) 1975-09-03
FR2207618A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-06-14

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